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Fatsia Japonica - brown & curling...

georgina.thomas87georgina.thomas87 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hi all,
I have an indoor Fatsia Japonica that has been going strong since I brought it home a couple of months ago. However, one of the new leaves seems to have become very hardened and brown - I can't tell if it is a sign of disease or of me under or over watering, as the rest of the plant seems quite healthy (I water it once or twice a week). I did some research and it seems that new growth/buds are brown and furry, but this seems to be next level. I was misting the leaves quite frequently as it's been really hot here in the Aus summer, so I wonder whether I might have overdone that and that was the cause? I've been misting less in case it was (there's also a layer of pebbles at the bottom of the cache pot to help with humidity and to make sure the roots aren't sitting in water). No change to the brown hardened leaf though. I've attached some photos. 
Any help or advice would be much appreciated. Thank you :)
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Posts

  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    Your 'indoor' Fatsia would certainly be better outdoors in a partially shaded and moist environment . The dry looking new leaf is nothing to worry about as the plants branch naturally anyway , and this will be discarded .
    Talking last week to someone having just returned from Sydney ; apparently temperatures were approaching 50C ! , and set to get worse? :o

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Have a look at the new leaf for signs of red spider mite
    Devon.
  • georgina.thomas87georgina.thomas87 Posts: 3
    Paul B3 said:
    Your 'indoor' Fatsia would certainly be better outdoors in a partially shaded and moist environment . The dry looking new leaf is nothing to worry about as the plants branch naturally anyway , and this will be discarded .
    Talking last week to someone having just returned from Sydney ; apparently temperatures were approaching 50C ! , and set to get worse? :o

    Thanks Paul. Unfortunately I live in an apartment, so there's no outdoors that I could move it to! My parents have a glorious fatsia in their garden though, so I may have to make do with visiting that occasionally if this one doesn't survive. 
    Yes the Eastern states have been extremely hot this summer, I'm over on the West coast in Perth where it hasn't been too bad. Touch wood!
  • georgina.thomas87georgina.thomas87 Posts: 3
    Hostafan1 said:
    Have a look at the new leaf for signs of red spider mite
    Thanks - I did that (after googling what the signs were!) and wasn't sure, so I sprayed the leaves with a neem oil solution just in case. Hopefully that does the job - I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks for your help.
  • IamweedyIamweedy Posts: 1,364
    Fatsia japonica is very tough. Ours has been through icy blasts and very hot summers . (in Britain and still looks good with a few tired leaves removed.



    'You must have some bread with it me duck!'

  • Paul B3Paul B3 Posts: 3,154
    Agree with Iamweedy !
    Old and leggy shrubs can even be cut to ground ; ther readily regenerate .
  • desstanydesstany Posts: 1
    Hi I have similar, except mine is uk in well draining soil, shady area and kept well watered. Lots of amazing new growth suddenly turned brown, but with small drops of brown residue of some kind... Almost like maple syrup blobs? 🤔 🤔 🤔 Any advice please? 
  • christine.gravillechristine.graville Posts: 14
    Hi I have a pure white fatsia, it lives in a moist shaded greenhouse, but some of the leaves are turning brown at the edges  this then spreads, any ideas ?
  • micearguersmicearguers Posts: 646
    I wonder if that awesome claw-like leaf could be the result of over-feeding? I fed my (outdoors) fatsia what was in hindsight probably fairly strong comfrey tea, and the next leaves it made were stunted and looked a little bit like that.
  • vampierjazz2010bG9RrA3svampierjazz2010bG9RrA3s Posts: 1
    desstany said:
    Hi I have similar, except mine is uk in well draining soil, shady area and kept well watered. Lots of amazing new growth suddenly turned brown, but with small drops of brown residue of some kind... Almost like maple syrup blobs? 🤔 🤔 🤔 Any advice please? 
    Hello! That sounds like caterpillar poop! They tend to lunch on their leaves and love pooping all over them haha
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