Please help me save my Variegated Stephanotis!! (Pics)

11 years ago

My Variegated Stephanotis Floribunda (aka Madagascar Jasmine) has been losing leaves non-stop! Some turn yellow and fall off - others are taking on an odd texture, brown in places and become crispy. Here are some images:

(The leaf on the right got put in the middle for this pic)

Here's the whole plant. I only recently moved it so close to this southern window. We're zone 9b, coastal Washington doesn't get sun as intense as other states.

Before this it was 3.5ft back. I haven't been providing any extra humidity. I try to let it dry out in-between waterings (I plan to use the wooden-skewer method now.)

Extra info:

When it arrived from TT weeks ago it had only the root ball (though not bare-root.) I have it in a very well draining mix of perlite, hydrotone, 1/2in fir bark, lava rock and a small ratio of potting soil.

Local humidity fluctuates, lately it has been 40-50%. Should I put it outside until it becomes colder? How can I keep it happy indoors? (after it comes back in.)

I'm trying to fix my wrong-doings before the plant goes too far down hill! Please help me!

Keiko

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Comments (3)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
11 years ago
Don't panic. It's possible the leaf loss is resultant from a decrease in light between its present home and where it was, and it will eventually straighten itself around. Plants in high light tolerate higher fertility than plants in low light, so it's probably best not to be tempted to fertilize for a while. In fact, plants doing well at high fertility in high light often show symptoms of fertilizer burn when the light supply is reduced significantly.

A key element is avoiding over-watering. Think damp, not wet, but it doesn't like to dry out completely. Your soil should allow you to water freely at will, without worry the soil will remain wet too long. If you can't water so you can flush the soil whenever you want, take a closer look at your soil. Like all plants, it would be happier outdoors in good light & with air moving around it when temperatures allow.

Al
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liz2525
10 years ago
I have a Devils Ivy that is a Walmart purchase, Exotic Angels also and it seems to be reverting back to mostly Green. I give it a lot of Sun but no change. I have East and West facing windows so if thats not enough Sun then there must be something else wrong?
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Happy New Year to you too Josh!! Pop out the champain! Oh wait, it is only 2:40 pm..lol The ball has hours to go before dropping. I shall have to take a look and let you know. I am tired of picking up yellow leaves off the floor dropping from the main plant. Do you think it will be ok? Dave: Exactly how my plant was growing. In a huge office window flowering like mad until people decided to just let it go..I feel so bad for it. Taking it home is not easy either since I haven't a window even close to giving it sun like it was use to recieving. So I ordered a greenhouse..lol.I hope it makes it till then. This is the straw that broke the camels back. I had to order one for all my resues and those I love raised, inherited, purchased, or givin as gifts to me..It's time and long over due. Besides, I never made it to Disney World this, last year:-( Mike
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birdsnblooms
10 years ago
Morning Everyone,

Ren, I'm having a similar problem with my variegated Steph.

It's the heat.

The room Steph is in is sunny, 'when we have sun,' and hot.
I can't tell you the number of leaves that yellowed/died.

Once temps dropped, '60's/low 70's,' foliage stopped yellowing.

When temps rose again, 90's, more leaves yellowed and died. Foliage appeared dry.

Humidity was high, so dry air wasn't the problem.

When I received Steph, it was placed before a west window.
Now it's several feet away, and doing better. Then again, temps are cooler.

I agree with Al regarding change.
Some plants adapt quicker than others, but Steph doesn't fit in that catagory.

Liz...Ironically, some variegated plants remain variegated in lower light.
I noticed the difference when a few variegated plants were temporarily placed in shade..variegation was more vivid in the shadier spot. Make sense?
I believe it depends on plant type.

Pothos will remain variegated several feet from a bright window.
Moving from one place to another isn't healthy. Find a place your Pothos does well, and let it be.
Truly Liz...plants don't like change. Toni
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Please help me save my Variegated Stephanotis!! (Pics)

Comments (3)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

liz2525

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