11 Reasons Why Dischidia Plant is Dying and How to Fix Them
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Dischidia Plants may die due to root-rot, overwatering, underwatering, extreme temperatures, too little light, pest infestations, root-rot among other reasons brought about by cultural faults.
Popular Discidia varieties include Dischidia nummularia (String of Nickels Plant), Dischidia ovata (Watermelon Dischidia) and Dischidia ruscifolia (Million Hearts Plant) among others.
Discidia are easy to grow when provided with the right growing conditions. If the growing conditions are not met the plants may develop some problems and eventually die.
We have herebelow discussed 11 reasons why a Dischidia Plant may die with their solutions. Keep reading for more details on these reasons.
11 Reasons why a Dischidia Plant may die
1. Root-rot Disease
Dischidia Plants are prone to root-rot which is brought about by soggy soil. The disease is characterized by wilted, discolored leaves, corky swellings under the leaves, dropping leaves and eventual death of the plant.
Soggy soil reduces oxygen concentration in the soil which causes the roots to die. Once the roots die, they cannot take up water and nutrients to the leaves. The leaves begin to die and eventually drop.
Solutions
Slip your Dischidia 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 fungicidal solution.
Disinfect the pot or use a fresh pot to repot the plant in fresh free-draining soil. Do not water the plant and keep it dry for about 7 days before you can resume watering. Read more on how to treat root-rot in houseplants.
To avoid getting soggy soil, make sure that the pot for your Dischidia Plant has a drainage hole and the soil is free-draining. In addition, reduce watering during the cold season to maintain the soil slightly moist as growth is minimal at this time.
2. Too Little Light
The Dischidia Plants require bright light with some morning sunshine to thrive. The light is needed for making food that is required for energy and growth. Insufficient light implies that the plant cannot make enough food for energy and growth therefore it begins to drop its leaves and finally dies.
Solutions
Cut back the bare stems to rejuvenate growth and move the plant to a brighter spot where it will receive bright light with at least 4-6 hours of morning sunshine or instal grow lights if you do not have adequate lighting in your home. Take a look at these full spectrum grow lights on Amazon.
Regularly turn the pot to ensure that the plant absorbs enough light for photosynthesis from all sides. Check out this guide on understanding light for houseplants.
3. Pest Infestations
Dischidia Plants are prone to spider mites, scale insects, aphids and mealy bugs. These pests attack the new growth from where the suck the plant sap. This causes the plant to become dehydrated and results in wilting and eventual death.
Solutions
Regularly inspect your Dischidia for the pests and take timely control measures. If infested, treat the plant with neem oil or insecticidal soap as per the manufacturer's instructions.
4. Poor Quality Soil
Poor quality soil does not drain properly and easily becomes compacted or soggy which can negatively impact the growth of the plant. Dischidia Plants require loose, free-draining soil that does not hold excessive amounts of water. Soggy soil can lead to root-rot which is characterized by yellowing, leaf drop and eventual death of the plant.
Solutions
Pot your Dischidia Plants in cactus and succulents mix as its is loose enough to allow proper drainage therefore it does not get soggy.
5. Underwatering
When you underwater your Dischidia, there is little moisture in the soil. As such, the plant cannot take up nutrients and water needed for photosynthesis (food making process). Since the plant does not get adequate food for growth and energy, it begins to die. The leaves turn yellow, drop and eventually the plant dies if the situation is not corrected.
Solutions
When you note that the leaves are yellowing and dropping, check the soil condition by inserting your index finger into the soil and feeling the soil. If the soil feels dry, immediately water the plant thoroughly until the water comes out through the drainage holes and it should recover.
Thereafter, water the plant liberally during the growing season and allow the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Decrease watering during the cold season to keep the soil slightly moist but do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Read more on how to water houseplants the right way.
6. Extreme Temperatures
Dischidia Plants require average temperatures of 18-300C to flourish. Extreme temperatures; either too high or too low (outside the above range) will affect the normal functioning of the plant systems.
Too high temperatures will cause excessive loss of water leading to wilting, leaf drop and eventual death of the plant. Too low temperatures cause the plant to stop growing and it begins to die. Leaf drop is one of the signs of a dying plant.
Solutions
Keep your Dischidia Plant away from cold drafts like windy doors and windows, air conditioning vents, open doors and others. Ensure that the plant is not near hot surfaces, hot air vents and other hot areas to prevent extremely high temperatures.
Maintain an average temperature of 18-300C. Usually, a room temperature that is comfortable for you is ideal for this plant. Check out this guide on understanding temperature for houseplants.
7. Too Cold Water
Dischidia Plants are native to the tropical regions where the temperatures remain constantly warm. Therefore, constantly watering these plants with too cold water will shock the plant, causing it to stop growing and eventually die.
Solutions
Water Dischidia with water that is at room temperature to avoid shocking these tropical plants.
8. Overfeeding
Overfeeding your Dischidia will cause the roots to die due to fertilizer burn. When the roots die, they cannot take up nutrients and water needed for photosynthesis; the process of making food for growth and energy. Without, adequate food for growth and energy, the plant begins to drop leaves and eventually dies if the situation is not corrected.
Solutions
Take care not to overfeed a the plant. Feed the plant twice during the growing season with a slow release fertilizer. Dischidia Plants are not a heavy feeder so be careful when feeding. Follow the instructions on the label of the plant food to avoid overfeeding.
Regularly flush out excess salts from the soil by running a stream of water through the soil until it comes out through the drainage holes and repeat the process several times.
9. Underfeeding
Underfeeding your Dischidia Plant implies that the plant is not getting enough nutrients need for growth and energy. Inadequate nutrients in the actively growing tips causes nutrients to be withdrawn from the older lower leaves which begin to yellow, drop and eventually the plant dies.
Solutions
Feed your Dischidia twice during the growing season with a succulents fertilizer. Take care not to underfeed and follow the instructions on the label of the plant food. Learn more on how to feed houseplants.
10. Being Root-bound
If root-bound, the Dischidia Plant roots have filled the pot and there is very little soil to hold water when you water the plant. Therefore, the roots have no access to water and nutrients required for making food for growth. Without adequate food the plant begins to die from the leaves which turn yellow and drop.
Solutions
Check the bottom of the pot for roots growing through the drainage hole and repot the Dischidia Plant into a pot one size larger than the current one. Divide the plant into several sections and plant the sections in individual pots to propagate new plants. Take a look at these succulents pots on Amazon.
11. Direct Hot Sunlight
Exposing your Dischidia Plant to hot sunshine will cause dehydration and sunscorch. This may result in wilting and eventual death of the plant if it is not corrected.
Solutions
Do not expose your Dischidia to hot direct sunlight before acclimating it. Gradually expose it to a little brighter light every day over a period of 2 weeks.
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