When I say that wanderer plants ( Chlorophytum comosum ) are relatively disease - free , I ’m not kidding .

There are very few diseases that will ever trouble them . You ’re far more likely to take on spider touch or some other cuss than to ever see a disease affect your spider plant .

You might run across a few physiological issuing , though . Overwatering is particularly dangerous , and is the most plebeian cause of problem in these houseplants .

A close up horizontal image of a variegated spider plant in a terra cotta pot set on a windowsill pictured on a soft focus background.

Photo by Kristine Lofgren.

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Our guidebook to develop spider plantscovers everything you need to be intimate about caution and cultivation .

In this guide , we ’ll talk about the disease and disorders that can trouble wanderer plant . Here ’s the batting order :

A close up vertical image of a variegated spider plant growing in a terra cotta pot on a windowsill with a blind in the background. To the center and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

Photo by Kristine Lofgren.

Common Spider Plant Disorders

1 . Leaf Spot

2 . Root Rot

3 . Tip Burn

A close up horizontal image of two hands from the left of the frame repotting a small Chlorophytum comosum into a white pot.

4 . wilt

5 . icteric , Pale , or Solid leave of absence

This list is myopic , but we ’re going to cover a batch of important information , so let ’s jump-start right in .

A close up of the packaging of Mycostop Biofungicide isolated on a white background.

In possibility , wanderer plants can suffer infections from pathogen such asAlternaria , Cercospora , Fusarium , andPhyllostictaspp . , which have leaf spots . But there have only been a few cases document .

That does n’t think that it ca n’t happen , since investigator are n’t usually interested with documenting the experience of home growers , but if it does happen , you have used up all your bad fortune for the class , and you should buy yourself a drawing ticket .

If the leaves have brown , black , or yellow spots , not fleck , which could be the fecal matter of a visiting pest , it ’s possible the specimen is suffering from leaf spot disease .

A close up horizontal image of a dead and shriveled up spider ivy in a green pot.

To deal with it , snaffle yourself a good , broad - spectrum fungicide .

atomic number 29 fungicide is always a dependable alternative , and so is Mycostop , which rule the bacteriumStreptomycesstrain K61 , a beneficial pathogen present in sphagnum peat moss .

I use it to treat most fungal problem that pop up in my garden or houseplant .

A close up vertical image of a variegated spider ivy with brown tips on the foliage, set on a wooden dresser.

Mycostop Biofungicide

take hold of a five or 25 - gram packetat Arbico Organicsif you ’d like to lend this product to your gardening toolkit . Be trusted to follow the manufacturers instruction for practical program .

If you ’re going to be unlucky enough to head for the hills into a disease with your wanderer plant , ancestor putrefaction is the most unwashed .

A horizontal image of a small spider plant that has started to wilt, growing in a decorative pot, set on a wooden surface.

It ’s caused principally by overwatering , which strip the roots of oxygen and essentially submerge them .

Or , it can be due to the oomycetePythium splendens , or the fungiRhizoctonia solaniorSclerotium rolfsii , all of which thrive in wet , soggy environment .

The specific movement is n’t important , so do n’t worry about trying to figure out which is the source of your woefulness . The significant thing is to play rapidly to address the post .

A close up horizontal image of a spider plant with pale leaves from being in low light for too long.

Take your spider plant life out of its potful and remove all the grime from around the roots . shave away any dead or drippy stem .

Then wipe the container clean , and desex it with a mixture of one part bleach to nine parts H2O .

Repot the specimen with fresh , clean potting land , and keep your watering habits in check going forwards !

Learn more about root rot prevention and treatment .

If just the very crest of the leave are brown and dry rather than the whole leaf , it ’s most often a problem due to either extremely gloomy humidity or too much sunshine .

This species prefers lustrous , collateral light source and humidity between 50 and 65 percent .

However , if the confidential information are brown and the browning continues to expand up the duration of the leaf , that is more likely to be a result of too little Light Within or overwatering .

I have a spider plant in a wide , shallow corporation , and it ’s a challengenotto overwater any specimen in a pot like that . There ’s nowhere for the excess water to take to the woods , so there is little room to make mistakes .

I tell you this as an illustration that overwatering is n’t just triggered by watering too often or too much all at once , needs .

The type of container , clock time of year , wanton exposure , and relative humidity can impact how often a houseplant needs watering and how much water it requires .

You should always contain the soil before add moisture , especially if you are grow in a humble or shallow pot .

Wilting can be a foretoken of root rot , so check out that section above if the parting are looking floppy and sad .

But root rot is n’t the only drive of drooping foliage . Both over- and underwatering , as well as too much sun exposure , can result in wilt .

We often assume that if a specimen is wilting , it needs more piddle . I cognise I ’ve been guilty of making that assumption . But if you bear upon the stain and it feels moist , it ’s more likely that it has been overwatered .

If that ’s the case , you might be able to get away with withholding tax water for a while , but if it does n’t protrude to perk up after a day or two , it ’s time to act .

If the soil is wet , unpot theC. comosumand audit the roots as discussed above .

Wilting can also indicate apest problem like fungus gnatsorspider tinge , though with the latter you ’ll usually see net or the physical front of pest if that ’s the case .

If the soil feel dry , the solution is easy . Just add water system ! We have aguide that talk over how to quicken a droop wanderer plantif you ’d care to get word more .

5. Yellowing, Pale, or Solid Leaves

Sometimes , a specimen will come out to look just a little bit sickly without any specific symptoms .

Maybe the leave will change state yellow , or instead of vibrant green they ’ll become pale . Other times , the leaf become solid green even though they ’re supposed to be vary .

If the folio turn over pale or lose variegation , it could be issues with Sunday exposure or the amount of water supply you ’re giving , or yourC. comosumcould be underfed , andadding a pane of fertiliser may be all that ’s needed .

teach more about fading or exit of variegation .

Yellow leaves can betoken too much sun or overfertilization , a pest trouble , overwatering , iron inadequacy , or if the leave are principally toward the outside of the specimen , could just be erstwhile leaves that are getting ready to slough .

Learn more about troubleshooting yellowish leaf .

No One Wants a Sickly Spider

Some people will say that such - and - such species is unkillable , and it feels awful when yours starts endure .

I ’ve been guilty of telling people that myself . But just because spider flora are known for being tough - as - nails , do n’t feel bad if yours is n’t fly high .

It truly happens to all of us . I almost killed a wanderer plant because I was go on it in an area that was right smart too dark , and I watered it too often . Now , hopefully , you feel like you have the skills to make yours happy again .

And if you require toexpand your knowledge about spider plant , read these guides next :

Photos by Kristine Lofgren © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more inside information . Product photo via Arbico Organics . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .

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