Identifying and Treating Jade Plant Diseases

There are several jade plant diseases. Jade plants originate from South Africa and have waxy green leaves. It is a potted plant that can grow to 12 feet in height. It strives in poor and dry soil conditions since it thrives in arid conditions and can provide an excellent household adornment, especially during the holiday season. It can cost between a few dollars and several hundreds of dollars, depending on where you purchase your jade plant. It looks like and is sometimes confused with the Bonsai tree.

The diseases that affect the jade plant include mealy bugs, bacterial soft rot, powdery mildew and black ring disease. These diseases are easy to identify and can be treated or dealt with when they are discovered. Here are some tips for dealing with these diseases.

Identifying and Treating Mealy Bugs

Mealy bugs are a cottony froth that appears on the leaves and stems of the jade plant. Mealy bugs are a wholly aphid that can cause a lot of damage to the jade plant if left untreated. When they appear on the plant, a simple cotton swab with alcohol will kill the insect and eliminate any infestation that appears on the jade plant.

Identifying and Treating Bacterial Soft Rot

Bacterial soft rot causes the plant to collapse, which is how you can identify the disease. When this condition starts, it can spread throughout the plant and kill it. The cause of this disease is a bacterium called Erwinia, a bacterial pathogen that is related to e-Coli and salmonella.

When you discover that your jade plant has bacterial soft rot you can treat it by removing the affected plants. If you catch it in time, you will be able to prevent the further spread of the bacterial infection and save your jade plant.

Identifying and Treating Powdery Mildew

The condition known as powdery mildew appears as scabs on the waxy leaves of the jade plant. It is caused by a fungus known as Sphaerotheca and spreads on the leaves and stems of the plant. It can be treated by applying thiophanate methyl or triadimefon. These chemicals can be found in most grass and plant pesticides and can be purchased at a plant or home and garden store.

Identifying and Treating Black Ring Disease

The black ring disease leaves black rings on the underside of the jade plant’s leaves. It is caused by a virus. The disease does not kill the plant and there is no real effective to treat black ring disease once you detect it. Be aware not to take cuttings from any leaves affected by black ring disease in order to prevent it affecting any new plantings that you do.

Routine plant care and maintenance should expose these common occurring diseases. When discovered, take immediate action to address the disease and treat the plant in order for your jade plant to continue to be healthy and grow.