Portulacaria afra dropping too many leaves

Hi all,

I bought this plant in April of this year. I've kept it relatively dry, although watered more frequently during the warmer months, as it seemed to be thriving. As the temperature is colder & there's less sunlight, I've reduced the watering. It's dropping leaves like crazy - up to 10 per day on some days. The ends of the branches were starting to shrivel, so I gave it a little more water, but yet I currently have leaves that have shriveled to nothing. Grrr... Any & all advice welcome..... :)

The likely suspect with this plant is always over-watering, though yours doesn't appear to be getting enough light, either. Light (not enough) wouldn't be directly responsible for the damaged tips, though it could be responsible for the leaf loss. Getting back to the topic, I would say that if you approach it logically, the odds are: if you can eliminate over-watering as the source of the problem, you need to look to an accumulation of soluble salts in the soil. When you watered, were you watering very thoroughly so you flushed accumulating salts out of the soil, or did you water in small sips so little or no water exited the drain hole? There is a drain hole, right?



Al

Hi Al,

Yes, there's a drainhole. I either let it set in a bowl of water or completly drench so that the water runs through. I try to alternate those two methods so that I don't have buildup in the soil. Although when it gets cooler, I'm more apt to water from the top & when it starts draining I quit. Just a little paranoid about overwatering!!

I have considered that it may not be receiving enough light. This is my 'work' plant. Although it's by a window, I'm not sure it's getting enough light, although my spider plant seems to be ok. Just want to eliminate all other possibilities. Thanks.

Is this plant warm all year round? I have not had much experience with this one as a house plant, but outdoors this plant handles water all year round in any amount I give it. I have not heard of anyone rotting one by overwatering, but I suppose, in a cool situation, and one with low light, that it could be possible. These are full sun plants, so low light might be really hard on them. Unless it is freezing outside, I would take it outside and water it thoroughly a few times. I rains here all winter and my potted plant goes through the winter with soil that is nearly always damp (though it is in very well draining soil- almost too well draining, making it grow a lot slower than if it were in the ground). Never had one lose leaves... suspect low light could have something to do with that.. very tolerant plant of having the roots messed with, too, so if you are concerned about root rot, it will not disturb the plant much to have it dumped out on the table and have the roots inspected for rot. Good time, then to do a bit of root pruning if the roots are bit 'tight' in the pot.

The first indication that this plant is being over-watered is often the fact that the plant simply topples from its pot because the roots have literally rotted off. It doesn't tolerate soils that support a perched water table well, so drainage and aeration are extremely important to the plant's vitality. I use a very fast (draining) soil and water thoroughly, then wait until I see the leaves wrinkling from loss of turgidity before I water again.

Possibilities for leaf loss are a sudden decrease in photo-intensity/photo-period, sudden chill, lack of nutrients- especially N - usually manifest in older/proximal leaves , extremely root-bound conditions, under-watering.

Look to a high level of soluble salts in the soil from tap water and/or over-fertilizing, chill injury (can occur at temps as high as 50* under certain circumstances), over-watering for the death of branch tips.

Is there a chance a co-worker might have helped you water with left-over soda, coffee, other?

Al