Diagnosing your sick African Violet
by Sue Gardner Adapted from Early Morning African Violet Group Newsletter, May 2005
Condition of the plant |
Probable cause |
Foliage OK. Leaf axils or around base of stem show, white cottony specks. |
FOLIAR MEALY BUG |
Foliage not fresh and health. Leaves appear to have areas dusted with white powder. Axils and stem clean. |
POWDERY MILDEW |
Foliage not fresh and healthy. Arils and stem clean. Leaves clear of white powdery appearance. Outer leaves drooping and soft, look unhealthy. Small black flies rise from foliage when disturbed. |
EXCESSIVE FUNGUS GNATS |
Foliage not fresh and healthy. Axils and stem clean. Leaves clear of white powdery appearance. Outer leaves not drooping; Centre leaves grey and hairy. Cottony white or grey web in plant center. |
BOTRYTIS BLIGHT |
Foliage not fresh and healthy. Axils and stem clean. Leaves clear of white powdery appearance. Outer leaves not drooping. Centre leaves grey and hair: No web but center leaves grey and hairy. No new center growth. |
MITE |
Foliage not fresh and healthy. Axils & stem clean. Leaves clear of white powder appearance. Outer leaves not drooping. Centre leaves not grey and hairy. Centre leaves hard & stunted, flower stems shortened. flowers distorted. |
MITE |
Outer foliage healthy. Axils, stem and foliage clean. Flower stems or flowers look as if dusted with white powder. |
POWDERY MILDEW |
Outer foliage healthy. Axils and stems clean. Foliage and flower stems clean, but flower petals not clean and fresh. Petals have spilt pollen on them or appear dry or have brown edges. Tiny insects scum from pollen sacs when disturbed. |
THRIPS |
Outer foliage healthy, center obviously sick. Centre leaves grey and hairy. Cottony white or grey web in plant center. |
BOTRYTIS BLIGHT |
Outer foliage healthy but center obviously sick. Centre leaves not grey and hairy. Centre leaves hard and stunted, , flower stems shortened, flowers distorted. |
MITE |
Small black beige or green insects clustered on axils, leaves or stems. |
APHIDS |
Leaves appear to have areas dusted with white powder. |
POWDERY MILDEW |
Leaves clear of white powdery appearance. Outer leaves drooping and soft, look unhealthy. Small black flies rise from foliage when disturbed. |
EXCESSIVE FUNGUS GNATS |
Leaves clear of white powdery appearance. Outer leaves not drooping. Centre leaves grey and hair. Cottony white or grey- web in plant center. |
BOTRYTIS BLIGHT |
Leaves clear of white powdery appearance. Outer leaves not drooping. Centre leaves not grey and hairy. Centre leaves hard and stunted, flower stems shortened. flowers distorted. |
MITE |
Outer leaves drooping and soft, look unhealthy. Small black flies rise from foliage when disturbed. |
EXCESSIVE FUNGUS GNATS |
Outer leaves not drooping. Centre leaves grey and hair. Cottony white or grey web in plant center. |
BOTRYTIS BLIGHT |
Outer leaves not drooping. Centre leaves grey & hairy. No web but center leaves grey & hairy. No new center growth. |
MITE |
Outer leaves not drooping. Centre leaves not grey and hair. Centre leaves hard and stunted, flower stems shortened, flowers distorted. |
MITE |
Small black flies rise from foliage when disturbed. |
EXCESSIVE FUNGUS GNATS |
No visible insects on foliage. Roots black or dark brown (not white and healthy) |
ROOT ROT (or CROWN ROT) |
No visible insects on foliage. Roots not black nor dark brown. Roots swollen with visible nodules |
ROOT NEMATODES |
No visible insects on foliage. Roots not black nor dark brown No root nodules root ball (and often reservoir) has white fuzzy areas or slow-moving oval whitish insects (1.5mm long). |
SOILY MEALY BUGS |
No visible insects on foliage. Roots not black nor dark brown. No root nodules. Small fast moving pale insects in root-ball, visible jumping in reservoir. |
EXCESSIVE SPRINGTAILS |
No visible insects on foliage. Roots not black nor dark brown. No root nodules. White healthy roots. no visible insects. Centre leaves grey and hairy. Cottony white or grey web in plant center. |
BOTRYTIS BLIGHT |
No visible insects on foliage. Roots not black nor dark brown. No root nodules. White healthy roots, no visible insects. Centre leaves grey and hairy. No web but center leaves grey and hairy No new center growth |
MITE |
No visible insects on foliage. Roots not black nor dark brown. No root nodules. White healthy roots. no visible insects. Centre leaves not grey and hair. Centre leaves hard and stunted, flower stems shortened, flowers distorted. |
MITE |
Roots black or dark brown (not white and healthy). |
ROOT ROT or CROWN ROT) |