Software
Houzz Logo Print
webuser_872708457

Need help with Breynia Plant ( Snowbush )

7 years ago




I purchase my snowbush online one week back, before ordering this plant i read a lot information how to take care of it. I like this plant a lot how it looks and very much wanted to have it.

I started to have plants from July this year, so I am just a beginner, don't have much experience. But since then I got a few plants which seems doing well, like Fiddle Leaf Fig tree, dieffenbachia, and a few more... and already faced a few problems with them, but managed it. But I am absolutely stuck with snowbush.. when i got it it was looking just fine, a few leaves had some black spots, may be just around 5 leaves. I repotted from 4 inch pot it came to 6 inch pot, with mixing soil and add perlite to it. Watered only twice, always checking soil with finger and do not allow to dry completely. But lot of leaves are fallen and tips of branches with new leaves started to get black, the whole plant seems wilting and leaves getting more black spots.

I keep my snowbush near west facing window, temperature now is 86-89 °F in a day time and 75 °F at night time, humidity 50-60.


Please help me to save my Snowbush. Any suggestions appreciated.



Comments (8)

  • 7 years ago

    Indirect but bright light is best. And bump up the humidity as much as you can - this is a tropical plant from a very humid climate and really needs that moist air to thrive.

    Olia A thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
  • 7 years ago

    The soil looks very dry.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    All my plants which i got from the local store i use to keep in a container it came in, for about 2 weeks, and then i do repotting, try to keep the root ball with soil from that container .. thought not to damage roots. From online store i got only two plants, first was Fiddle Leaf Fig, i kept in same container for about 2 days and then repotted to 2 inch bigger pot, same kept the roots as safe as possible, water it, kept it in shade for 1 week and it didn't loose any single leaf, its thriving now. So I tried the same with snowbush, but it didn't work ((

    May be my snowbush got so much stress coz it got sun exposure .. its near west facing window, and it gets sunlight from 3 pm, but it is not very strong. I am already moved it to a place near same window but where it won't get direct sunlight.

    I live in a tropic country, so humidity not a problem, its close to winter here, but humidity is still 55-70%. Should i still increase it?

    Top of the soil, may be half inch feels dry to touch, but if to put finger inside soil is damp, but not wet. Pot has drainage holes, so water doesn't store there.

    I can't say i love my plants to death )) I just try to do my best, but since I am new to it I do fail .. it's a learning process )) ..

    What should I do now? Should I give it time? Leaves and tips of branches are still wilting.. (( I am very upset..

  • 7 years ago

    Sorry to see the trouble you're having & that you bought this as a beginner. I'm pretty experienced & have killed Breynias 2 or 3 times myself. Haven't tried it in a few yrs. I would have suggested you passing on this plant for now.


    Forgive me if this is obvious. Did you take the plastic wrapper off the pot? If not, it's an absolute must as it'll impede the plant's draining properly.


    You need to pls gets some kind of a long stick, or dowel, wood, bamboo, as long as the plant's pot is tall, & push it all the way down in the soil & then remove it. If slightly wet or dirty there's still moisture way down deep, so wait several days before testing it again to before you water. Checking just the top inch or 2 of soil, tells nothing about the condition way down at the bottom of the pot, the more vulnerable places among the roots.


    I suspect your drainage problems are from the combination of old soil & new soil, especially since you potted it larger, likely prematurely (maybe the plastic wrapper too).


    When I repot, I remove all the old soil from the roots, it matters, otherwise the 2 soils can drain at different rates, & can cause issues w/ rot. Roots also need air & if your roots don't dry out somewhat, then rot can set in.


    I don't know if one can take stem or tip cuttings from this plant.


    Sorry, I don't know what else to suggest, maybe soak it in a basin of water for a few hrs. & then see overnight if it perks up? OR, using the dowel stick, make holes all the way down in the soil, water into a few of those holes, til it comes out the bottom. After a few minutes, pour off the excess & see how the plant reacts overnight. My thinking here is that the inner ball of soil has dried or hardened somewhat & the watering you did didn't actually penetrate the rootball, hence the wilt & thirst.


    Ken: A former President of my local Indoor Gardening Society used to say: if you haven't killed any plants lately, you're not growing challenging enough plants! Learning curve indeed.

    Olia A thanked Karen S. (7b, NYC)
  • 7 years ago

    Thank you a lot for all your replies!

    I decided to cut dead stems & removed dead leaves, giving water every day, now it seems look better .. upper part looks more pinkish.., fingers crossed.

    Karen, thanks a lot for all your suggestions... there is nothing blocks water drainage, also I decided not to disturb roots of the plant with removing old soil as of now ( actually that soil were just covering the roots ) I am afraid to kill it completely... if it will survive ( hope so.. ) i will change soil.

    Will update on results..

  • 7 years ago

    olia, do you have an update?

  • 4 years ago

    Olia, do you have an update?

0