Since scheffis aren't botherd by many pests except for spider mites you can rule out pests. I've had problems with 2 different vareties of broad leaved ficus which show the same symptoms. It is probably the water. Our water comes from a well and is horrible -- we can't drink it. The leaves and some stems show this brown discoloration from time to time but it clears up during the monsoon season (at least for a few months). It won't kill the plant it will just look a little ugly for a while. Bob

Oedema. Oedema Oedema is a physiological disorder that can affect all plants. It occurs when the plant takes up more water than it can rid itself of via the process of transpiration. The word itself means 'swelling', which is usually the first symptom, and comes in the form of pale blisters or water-filled bumps on foliage. Under a variety of circumstances/cultural conditions, a plant's internal water pressure (turgidity) can become so high that some leaf cells rupture and leak their contents into inter-cellular spaces in leaf tissue, creating wet or weepy areas. Symptoms vary by plant, but as the malady progresses, areas of the leaf turn yellow, brown, brown with reddish overtones or even black, with older damage appearing as corky/ scaly/ ridged patches, or wart/gall-like bumpy growth. Symptoms are seen more frequently in plants that are fleshy, are usually more pronounced on the underside of leaves, and older/lower leaves are more likely to be affected than younger/upper leaves. Oedema is most common in houseplants during the winter/early spring months, is driven primarily by excessive water retention in the soil, and can be intensified via several additional cultural influences. Cool temperatures, high humidity levels, low light conditions, or partial defoliation can individually or collectively act to intensify the problem, as can anything else that slows transpiration. Nutritional deficiencies of Ca and Mg are also known contributors to the malady. Some things that can help you prevent oedema: * Increase light levels and temperature * Monitor water needs carefully – avoid over-watering. I'd heartily recommend a soil with drainage so sharp (fast) that when you to water to beyond the saturation point you needn't worry about prolonged periods of soil saturation wrecking root health/function. Your soil choice should be a key that unlocks the solutions to many potential problems. * Avoid misting or getting water on foliage. It slows transpiration and increases turgidity. * Water as soon as you get up in the AM. When stomata close in preparation for the dark cycle, turgidity builds. If you water early in the day, it gives the plant an opportunity to remove (for its own needs) some of the excess water in the soil. * Put a fan in the room or otherwise increase air flow/circulation. Avoid over-crowding your plants. Al

That's a tough one to address without a picture. My first inclination is to say, plant it, WATER it and keep watering it because I think the garden specialist might be right. Sounds like neglect...too much sun without enough water. Since Endless Summer blooms on new wood, it should rebound fairly quickly. Remove and dispose of the unsightly leaves and cut off any dead stems down to (just above)a healthy looking set of leaf buds, but first make sure they are actually dead by scraping the 'bark' with your fingernail. If there is green underneath, leave the stem alone as it is alive and may yet produce some buds. If it is dead all the way down, then cut the whole stem right down to the crown. Many hydrangeas have brownish/reddish speckles on the stems as a natural characteristic so I wouldn't worry about that. For $2.00, it's worth a try as a new one can cost up to $30.00 or so. I think it might pleasantly surprise you, but if you could post a picture, you would be able to get a much better analysis.....yg

Hi! I am the opposite of an expert, we just got our Kentia (Manny) a few weeks ago. So I really hope some of the experts jump in! But I love Manny too and have been reading around trying to learn how to take care of him, so I figured I might as well get the conversation started. I've read that brown tips can be caused by dry air. Manny has those a little bit, and I've been misting him daily - not sure if that makes a big difference or not. I also read that yellow and brown spots can be due to overwatering, (though I'm sure other things can cause that too.) I don't know if what you're describing is overwatering, I think it's more than I've watered Manny (only watered him once), but we've had him for such a short amount of time I probably wouldn't know if I was under watering yet. http://www.ourhouseplants.com/plants/howea-palms http://plantcaretoday.com/caring-beautiful-kentia-palm-howea-forsteriana.html I hope some of the experts give feedback since they can give you answers based on experience and not just stuff they read!