Let me start by saying I am a plant moron, I have no background in horticulture, I jut like having them around. I think this is a Chaparrelle (sp?) plant. It is huge 6' tall, and I have had it about 5 years. It has been doing great and all of a sudden the leaves started shrivelling and turning almost black. All I find on the websites I have seen are statements like: Brown tips and/or edges can be caused by overwatering or underwatering, conditions that are too hot and dry, too little or too much fertilizer, too much sun, lack of humidity, drafts, root rot. That information is a little too general for my needs. I will attempt to attach pictures to this message. Thanks in advance.
Hi, brown tips (on leaves that don't die) mean lack of humidity, but yours sounds different - i.e. black all over plus death, which usually means either it got very cold (which you would have mentioned I think), or it has some fungus rotting the roots, which is more likely. Was it accidentally overwatered? That's pretty subjective, but if you've had it so long, you'd know what that would be. You should get it out of the pot somehow, and look at the roots. If they're black and slimy, you'll have to cut off all those parts, repot in new soil (fast draining - with lots of perlite or grit of some kind) and water (once) with a houseplant fungicide according to label directions - try 'No Damp" - tiny brown bottle from garden ctre, or Home Hardware, etc.
Thanks Rima. It may have caught a draft, it is by a door on my patio but that door is never open during winter. I have been watering it the same for months but it is possible that I overdid it. I guess I will have to find a way to get it out of the almost 2' round pot it is in to check to roots. Anybody else have any tips?
I agree with Rima, sounds like over watering. I would certainly dig around the soil to take a look. Over watering is probably the most common cause of death for houseplants. Waterlogged soil does not hold enough oxygen, the plant weekens and diseases take hold. May be something else, but checking out the soil seems like the best place to start. I don't know about a chaperelle plant (chaparral?). Looks like a schefflera. Try a search for info on that to see if it looks like your plant.
