A he althy leaf on the balsam apple (Clusia) is either completely dark green or variegated with green and white. Specimens with brown dots are neither due to the variety nor do they represent a harmless deviation. Nobody has to puzzle over their origin for long, the causes are well known.
Where do brown spots on balsam apples come from?
Brown dotsare usually burns, caused by too much sun exposure. Stop further burns by moving your balsam apple away from the window immediately. Uneven brownish spots can also come from thrips, which you can combat with soft soap.
How much sun can the balsam apple tolerate?
As a houseplant, the balsam apple needslots of daylight. Therefore, a place near a window is a good choice. But the following rules must be adhered to so that he doesn't get any points:
- no blazing midday sun is allowed to shine through
- South window is not suitable
- alternatively the place can be further away
- at a safe distance from the glass pane
- In summer it can't be left outside in full sun
Bedrooms are usually located out of the sun. But it may then be too cold for the balsam apple in the bedroom. It feels most comfortable at temperatures that are consistently around 20 °C.
What can I do with the already dotted leaves?
The affected leaves will not recover from the burn symptoms and the brown spots will remain permanently burned. If the sight bothers you too much, you cancut them off with scissors If a lot of leaves are affected, wait until a few new he althy leaves have formed before cutting them off.
Are there any other symptoms that indicate burns?
Burns caused by too much sun can also appear asyellow discoloration. The same applies here: move the plant to a more suitable location and, if necessary, cut off the discolored leaves. Larger brown-black discolorations or dried-out areas indicate that the humidity is too low or there is a lack of water.
Tip
Brown spots that rise like pimples are probably scale insects
It may happen that you have to deal with scale insects on balsam apples. The pests are brown in color and have a rounded, very flat body. From a distance they look like small brown dots. But they form a slight bump and can be scraped off. They are usually found on the undersides of leaves.
