Camellias are beautiful plants, but unfortunately not easy to care for. This sometimes leads to an infestation with pests and brown or yellow discoloration of the leaves. If the causes are addressed immediately, the camellia can usually be saved.
What causes the black coating on camellia leaves and how to remove it?
The black coating on the leaves of a camellia is caused by the sooty fungus, which feeds on honeydew secreted by pests such as scale insects. To save the camellia, the coating should be washed off, the plant isolated and an anti-lice agent applied.
Where does the black coating come from?
The black coating on the leaves is usually caused by the sooty fungus. This is very common when a plant suffers from pests. First and foremost, the scale insect should be mentioned here. They secrete so-called honeydew, which serves as food for the sooty mold fungus. If you don't take action, your camellia's leaves will turn brown and fall off.
Can I just wash off the coating?
You can/can simply wash or rinse off the black coating on the leaves. Simple dishwashing water (a few drops of dish soap in lukewarm water) or lye with curd soap is sufficient. However, this is not enough as a sole measure, because you also have to combat the cause of the plaque. Be sure to isolate the infected camellia from other plants to prevent infection.
How can I help my camellia?
Be sure to check your camellia for pests, as these must be controlled in order for the camellia to survive. Wash or rinse the covering. Then spray the plant with an anti-lice product. Either get a commercially available product from a specialist store (€17.00 on Amazon) or try using safe neem oil first.
Be sure to follow the treatment instructions and treat the camellia several times at the suggested intervals. Only the live animals are killed, not the eggs.
Lice hatch from the eggs again after ten to 14 days and the cycle begins again. If the pests are successfully controlled, the sooty fungus usually goes away on its own because it no longer has any food to eat.
First aid in brief:
- Isolate plant
- Wipe or rinse the coating
- Fight the cause (usually lice infestation)
- Check plants regularly
Tip
If pests such as scale insects are the reason for the black coating, then a one-time treatment is not enough. Be sure to follow the treatment instructions.