10 Reasons Why Chenille Plant is Dying and their Remedies
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Chenille Plant is dying due to root-rot, improper feeding, pest infestations, drafts, dry air, inconsistent watering, too little light, poor quality soil among others.
Chenille Plant which goes by the botanical name, Acalypha hispida, is also called Red Hot Cat Tail, Monkey Tail, Philippine Medusa or Foxtail.
Acalypha hispida is a popular houseplant on account of its pendulous, brilliantly colored, furry flowers. It grows best in bright indirect light, warmth of 18-280C, humidity of 55-70% and moderately moist, rich, well drained soil coupled with fortnightly feeding in spring and summer. Learn how to grow and care for Chenille Plant.
If these conditions are not provided, the plant may die. Herebelow are 10 reasons why a Chenille Plant may die and how to solve them.
10 Reasons Why Chenille Plant is Dying and How to Fix Them
1. Root-rot disease
Chenille Plant is prone to root-rot disease which is characterized by yellowing, wilting and leaf drop, rapidly followed by browning and plant collapse. The disease is prevalent in soggy soil.
How to fix it
Carefully, slip the plant out of its pot and inspect the roots. Brown-black mushy roots indicate root-rot, trim them off and treat the healthy roots with a copper-based fungicidal solution.
Disinfect the pot with the fungicidal solution or use a fresh pot to repot the plant in fresh free-draining soil.
Withhold watering and keep it dry for some time before resuming watering to allow it time to recover.
To prevent root-rot in the future, use a pot with a drainage hole and free-draining soil to prevent it from getting soggy.
Take care not to overwater in fall and winter as growth is minimal at this time, therefore, the plant does not need a lot of water.
2. Improper feeding
Overfeeding will cause the roots to die due to fertilizer burn. This means the roots cannot take up nutrients and water required for photosynthesis, thus, the plant begins to die due to lack of food.
On the other hand, underfeeding implies that the plant is not getting enough nutrients needed for growth, therefore, it begins to die.
How to fix it
Feed your Chenille Plant with a phosphorous-rich, water-soluble fertilizer every 2-3 weeks in spring and summer to boost lush growth.
Do not feed in fall and winter to prevent fertilizer burn and death of the plant as growth is reduced at this time.
3. Pest infestations
Chenille Plant is prone to sap-sucking insects like mealybugs, whiteflies and spidermites which are more prevalent in dry air conditions. They cause the plant to become dehydrated, stunted, drop leaves and eventually die.
How to fix it
Maintain your Chenille Plant healthy by providing the right growing conditions, to minimize pests infestations as weak plants are more prone to pests.
To raise humidity to depress the infestations; set the pot on a wet pebble tray, use a humidifier or grow the plant in a well-lit bathroom.
Keep the plant well pruned by removing the dead and yellow foliage to improve air flow to discourage the pests.
Maintain a good air circulation for the plant to reduce the infestations.
If the infestation is heavy, isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to the other plants and treat it insecticidal soap or neem oil as per the manufacturers' instructions.
4. Being extremely pot-bound
Though a Chenille Plant grows best when slightly pot-bound, when it becomes extremely pot-bound it begins to wilt, drop leaves and eventually die.
This is because the roots have filled the pot and there is very little soil to hold water when the plant is watered which will cause the plant to wilt, drop leaves and may die.
How to fix it
Check the bottom of the pot for roots growing through the drainage hole and repot the plant into a pot one size larger than the current one.
Thereafter, repot the Chenille Plant at the beginning of the growing season (spring to early summer) when pot-bound. Check out these pots with drainage holes on Amazon.
5. Poor quality Soil
Poor quality soil does not drain easily and therefore it easily becomes compacted or soggy which can result in reduced growth, yellowing and death of the plant.
How to fix it
Grow your Chenille Plant in a loose, well-drained soil to prevent waterlogging and compaction. A blend of 2 parts potting soil and 1 part perlite (for drainage) is ideal for this plant.
6. Dry air
If the air is too dry, it will result in very low humidity which will cause stunted growth, leaf drop and eventual death of the plant.
How to fix it
Chenille Plant thrives in a humidity of 55-70%. To increase humidity, use a cool mist humidifier, group the plants together or set the pot on a wet pebble tray.
7. Too little light
Adequate light is necessary for photosynthesis, the process by which plants make food needed for growth and energy. Too little light means that the plant cannot make enough food for growth and development, which results in slow growth and death of the plant.
How to fix it
Chenille Plant prospers in bright indirect light. Move it to a brighter spot or instal a grow light if the natural lighting is not sufficient.
Once a month, give the pot a quarter turn to ensure that the plant absorbs enough light for photosynthesis on all sides, for uniform growth as well as prevent legginess.
8. Inconsistent watering
Overwatering will cause the roots to die due to lack of oxygen. Therefore, they cannot take up water which results in rotting, yellowing, leaf drop and eventual death of the plant.
Underwatering implies that there is too little moisture in the soil for the plant to take up to the leaves. This causes wilting, yellowing, leaf drop and eventual death of the plant if the situation is not corrected.
How to fix it
Water your Chenille Plant when the top 2-3 inches of soil dry out but do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Do not water on a schedule to avoid either overwatering or underwatering.
Use a pot that has a drainage hole and a well-draining soil to prevent waterlogging of the soil.
9. Exposure to direct sunlight
Exposing your Chenille Plant to direct sunlight for too long will result in scorching, wilting, yellowing, leaf drop and eventual death.
How to fix it
Position your Chenille Plant in a more shaded spot or use a light curtain to shield the plant from direct sunshine.
10. Drafts
Both cold and hot drafts will cause sudden temperature flactuations which can lead to stunted growth, yellowing, leaf drop and eventual death of the plant.
How to fix it
Keep your Chenille Plant away from sources of drafts like AC units, hot air vents, stoves, windy doors, drafty windows and others, to maintain a warmth of 18-280C.
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