Tweedia: Diseases and Remedies (3-minute Read)

NOTE: In this article, Tweedia and Oxypetalum coeruleum may be used interchangeably; in fact, Oxypetalum coeruleum is the botanical name for Tweedia.

It’s rare to find a plant with blue flowers, but it’s even more rare to find one with fragrant flowers and attractive foliage. Blue Tweedia is a popular choice for gardens, floral arrangements, container gardens, and even bridal bouquets because it has all three.

The attractive gray-green leaves are heart-shaped, and beautiful star-shaped flowers bloom from summer into fall. When planted as an annual, it grows to about 2 feet, but as a perennial, it can grow to 10 feet or more.

Why does my Oxypetalum coeruleum roots have rot?

If left untreated, root rot on your Tweedia (Oxypetalum coeruleum) can be fatal. For this reason, if the symptoms appear, we highly advise that you adhere to our recommendations to keep your plant alive: Blackened and softened roots.
Tweedia

Why does my Tweedia have gray mold spots?

A particular fungus that frequently affects flowers and spreads quickly is known as gray mold spots. This fungus is most likely to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. Don’t ignore these signs because doing so could cause your plant to die.

Our Solution

When you understand the root of the issue, the solution makes perfect sense. The majority of the time, it is caused by the Oxypetalum coeruleum being overwatered. We urge you to cut off the infected roots and leaves, remove the affected sections of the plant, and then repot your plant in a fresh container with sterile potting soil.

Why does my Tweedia have leaf spots?

Leaf This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Tweedia owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.

Why are my Tweedia leaves turning yellow?

In the world of horticulture, yellowing leaves are undoubtedly the most common problem. The two main causes of this problem are overwatering and a lack of nutrition.

When it’s overwatering, simply reduce your watering frequency, and if you think it’s a nutrient deficiency, here’s how to check it:

Each deficiency produces a different yellowing on the Oxypetalum coeruleum in question, here’s how to spot them:

  • The first symptom of a magnesium deficiency is yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves. The leaf’s core turns yellow while the veins stay green. The edges of the leaf yellow last.
  • Yellowing between leaf veins is another sign of iron shortage, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are initially affected.
  • The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
  • Insufficient potassium causes the leaf edges to turn brilliant yellow while the interior of the leaf stays green. Older leaves show the symptoms initially, and the leaf edges quickly darken.
  • A broad yellowing indicates a nitrogen deficiency. Yellowing starts with older, inner leaves. Yellowing spreads as it advances, eventually touching new leaves as well.

Our Solution

According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.

Is my Tweedia sunburned?

You can easily tell if your Tweedia (your Oxypetalum coeruleum) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.

Sunburned

The leaves of your Tweedia can also change color in case it gets too much water or not enough light, as we saw above.

The bottom of the yellow leaves with a shaded area closer to the base can be examined to determine if they have been sunburned. If this part remains greener, the yellow leaf is most likely sunburned and not something else.

Why are my Tweedia leaves turning brown?

Most of the time, leaves of a Tweedia that turn brown is a sign that your plant has been sunburned, it has probably been exposed to too much direct sunlight. Don’t panic, your plant probably won’t die from this, but its growth will take a hit.

Should I leave my Oxypetalum coeruleum in direct sunlight?

No! Don’t leave your Oxypetalum coeruleum (or Tweedia) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.

Our Solution

As stated in the paragraph above, the cure is straightforward: simply position your plant’s Tweedia so that it is out of direct sunlight. With proper watering and this method, your plant should quickly come back to life.

Why are my Oxypetalum coeruleum leaves drooping or wilting ?

This typically occurs when your Oxypetalum coeruleum gets dehydrated. Large plants are more at risk since they naturally require more water than smaller plants.

Drooping

An easy way to know if your Oxypetalum coeruleum is lacking water is to under-weigh its pot, if it looks light, it means that the soil and the roots are probably quite dry, and therefore need water!

Our Solution

If the soil in your plant’s pot is completely dry, you will need to start by moistening it so that the roots will also benefit from the water. A common mistake is to drown the Tweedia right after a dry period thinking that it needs a lot of water.

This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Oxypetalum coeruleum

Water Occasionally

Your plant needs water to survive, but it’s crucial to balance the amount and timing of watering. As we previously mentioned, overwatering could be catastrophic for your Oxypetalum coeruleum.

The best way to know if your plant needs water or not is to touch the soil, if you feel it is still wet, it is probably a good idea to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

It is also a good idea to keep your Oxypetalum coeruleum at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Oxypetalum coeruleum near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.

Keep your Tweedia Dust-Free

This one is about houseplants. Your indoor plants’ leaves get dusty just like your furniture does. The problem is that this might prevent photosynthesis from beginning, which would result in the plants gradually losing their color.

This would also make the pests happy, a real descent into hell for your Tweedia.

To remove the dust from the leaves of your plant, take a microfiber cloth and gently rub the leaves. You can wet the cloth to make it easier to remove the dust, but never use corrosive products (such as rubbing alcohol!)

Keep drainage in mind

If you have a tendency to overwater, you should be mindful of your drainage, and if they don’t already have them, we suggest selecting a saucer and a pot with drainage holes.

In the meantime, if you don’t have holes in your pots, you can add volcanic rocks (or any rocks with holes) at the bottom of your pot, this way it will create a channel so that the water doesn’t stay in your skin too much (to avoid that roots start to rot!)