Plant Nutrient Deficiencies in Ornamental Plants of South Florida Stephen H. Brown Lee County Extension 4/2013
Introduction Not all plant problems are caused by insects or diseases Healthy plant growth and reproduction requires 17 nutrients Plant nutrient deficiencies dfii i often appear as leaf discoloration or distortion
Introduction If left untreated, nutrient deficiencies may reduce plant growth, flowering, fruiting or aesthetic appeal. F ili d i Fertilizers are used to correct nutrient deficiency symptoms in plants.
What else could it be? Natural plant senescence Cold Drought Excessive light/sunburn Fertilizer burn Soil too wet, compacted, or drains slowly Root rot disease Insect problem Nematode problem
Cold Duranta erecta Gold Mound Blue porterweed For the most sensitive plants, damage occurs with temperatures in the 40 s
Drought A.D. Ali Turkey oak Soil moisture is needed to move plant nutrients to plant roots
Excessive Light/Sunburn Sun burned Cordyline Ti plant Sun burned cast iron plant Excessive sun Exposure of Peperomia
Fertilizer Burn A.D. Ali Ixora
Deficiencies Related to Other Problems Biotic (disease) problems tend to appear with asymmetrical patterns Nutrient deficiency symptoms tend to be distributed ib d symmetrically over the plant tissue
Symptom Symmetry Indian Hawthorne Disease causes asymmetrical distribution of symptoms Ixora Nutritional deficiency causes symmetrical distribution of symptoms
Mobile and Immobile Nutrients Plant nutrients which can move from place where they are stored to places where they are needed are called mobile Mobile nutrients feed younger leaves first. Older leaves show deficiency symptoms first Immobile nutrients do not move to younger leaves where they may be needed. ddsymptoms first show on younger leaves
Mobile Nutrients Older leaves affected first Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Magnesium Immobile Nutrients Younger/new leaves affected first Iron Manganese Sulfur Boron Copper Calcium Bold Red = Most common South Florida deficiencies of monocots Bold Blue = Most common South Florida deficiencies of dicots Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are never limiting; molybdenum, nickel, chlorine, zinc are virtually never limiting in South Florida ornamental plants
Nitrogen Availability as Affected by Soil ph The width of the band indicates the relative nitrogen availability
Nitrogen Deficiency Part of plant affected by nutrient deficiency Entire plant Symptoms Plant light green, lower leaves yellow, no necrotic spotting Possible circumstances leading to nutrient deficiency Soils with low organic matter N is a mobile nutrient
Nitrogen Deficiency UF/IFAS Azalea: Uniformed chlorosis of all but the newest leaves
Nitrogen Deficiency UF/IFAS Citrus: No necrotic spotting
Nitrogen Deficiency Queen palm: Uniformed chlorosis of entire canopy A.D.. Ali
Iron Availability as Affected by Soil ph The width of the band indicates the relative iron availability
Iron Deficiency Part of plant affected by nutrient deficiency Young leaves Symptoms Interveinal chlorosis of new leaves followed by complete chlorosis and/or bleaching of new leaves. Leaves without necrotic streaks. Possible circumstances leading to nutrient dfii deficiency High ph soils, soils with low organic matter, poorly drained soils, deep planting, root rot, nematodes Fe is an immobile nutrient
Iron Deficiency Perennial peanut: Intervienal chlorosis of new leaves
Iron Deficiency Perennial peanut: Intervienal chlorosis of new leaves
Iron Deficiency Dwarf Ixora: Chlorosis of new leaves
Iron Deficiency Dwarf Ixora: Severe intervienal chlorosis
Iron Deficiency Ixora: Intervienal chlorosis
Iron Deficiency Gardenia: Intervienal chlorosis
Iron Deficiency Gardenia: Intervienal chlorosis and leaf loss of shrub
Iron Deficiency Gardenia: Intervienal chlorosis of a portion of the plant UF/IFAS
Iron Deficiency Azalea: Severe deficiency with entire plant affected UF/IFAS
Iron Deficiency Rose: chlorosis of new leaves UF/IFAS
Iron Deficiency Slash pines Decline due primarily to construction, soil changes and landscape maintenance
Iron Deficiency Areca palms: Severe deficiency
Magnesium Availability as Affected by Soil ph The width of the band indicates the relative magnesium availability
Magnesium Dfii Deficiency Part of plant affected Symptoms Possible circumstances by nutrient deficiency leading to nutrient deficiency Olderleaves leaves Interveinalchlorosis chlorosis, yellow Soilswith low organic at the edges of older leaves, symptom progress up the plant. matter, sandy soils subject to leaching. Mg is a mobile nutrient
Magnesium Deficiency Hong Kong orchid Interveinal chlorosis of older leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Cinnamon: Interveinal chlorosis of older leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Jujube: Interveinal chlorosis of older leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Toog tree: Interveinal chlorosis of older leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Downy jasmine Top stem: Intervienal chlorosis of older leaves Bottom stem: More severe case with yellow leaves on entire stem
Magnesium Deficiency Allamanda Yellow edges (margins)
Magnesium Deficiencies Allamanda: Yellow edges of leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Scaevola, Beach Naupaka: Yellow edges of older leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Spanish bayonet Yellow edges of older leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Florida anise: Yellow edges of leaves
Magnesium Deficiency East Palatka holly: Yellow edges of leaves UF/IFAS
Magnesium Deficiency Pittosporum: Yellow edges of leaves UF/IFAS
Magnesium Deficiency Selloum: Yellow edges of older leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Erica Santella Erica Santella KingSago: Yellow edges of leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Canary Island date palm Yellowing at the edges of older leaves
Magnesium Deficiency Areca palm Yellowing at the edges of leaflets Thatch palm Yellowing at the edges of leaflets
Manganese Deficiency Part of plant affected by nutrient deficiency Symptoms Possible circumstances leading to nutrient deficiency Young leaves In dicots, diffuse interveinal chlorosis, Alkaline or highly with interveinal necrosis as symptoms leached soils. progress. In palms, interveinal chlorosis accompanied by longitudinal necrotic streaking. Assymptoms symptoms progress, leaflets tips become necrotic and frizzled. Symptoms more severe towards base of leaves. Mn is an immobile nutrient
Manganese Deficiency Skyvine: Mottled (diffused) intervienal chlorosis. Not as clearly defined as with Fe deficiency
Manganese Deficiency Royal palms: Frizzled tops AD A.D. Ali
Manganese Deficiency Royal palm: Frizzled top Queen Palm: Frizzled top
Phosphorus Availability as Affected by Soil ph The width of the band indicates the relative phosphorus availability
Phosphorus h Dfii Deficiency Part of plant affected Symptoms Possible by nutrient deficiency circumstances leading to nutrient deficiency Older leaves, whole Leaves are either reddish purple High or low ph. plant or pale yellow green, depending upon the species. Stunting of Recommended ph 5.5 6.5 plants. Leaf tip necrosis occurs in severely deficient palms P is a mobile nutrient
Potassium Availability as Affected by Soil ph The width of the band indicates the relative potassium availability
Potassium Deficiency Part of plant affected by Symptoms Possible circumstances nutrient deficiency leading to nutrient deficiency Older leaves For dicots, necrotic spotting of older Excessively leaves, leaf margins turn chlorotic and leached soils, high then necrotic. For palms, early symptom N fertilizer can include yellow orange translucent or induce or necrotic spotting followed by leaflet tip necrosis and frizzling. Symptoms are most severe on the oldest leaves and at the tips of those leaves. exacerbate K deficiencies K is a mobile nutrient
Potassium Deficiency Philodendron: Yellow spots Doug Caldwell
Potassium Deficiency Orchid tree Necrotic leaf margins HongKong orchidtree K deficiency is especially common in orchid trees (Bauhinia sp.) in the months just prior to leaf drop.
Potassium Deficiency Tim Broschat Black olive
Potassium Deficiency Coconut palm: Translucent spots
Potassium Deficiency European fan palm: Necrotic spots Tim Broschat
Potassium Deficiency Areca palm: Leaf tip necrosis Tim Broschat
Potassium Deficiencies Leaf ftip necrosis Pygmy date palm Canary Island date palm
Boron Deficiency Part of plant affected by nutrient deficiency New leaves Symptoms For dicots, terminal bud dies, leaf cupping, witches broom, dieback. For palms, accordion leaves and unopened spears (new leaves), entire crown bent in one direction Possible circumstances leading to nutrient dfii deficiency Sandy soils with low organic matter, high soil ph, soil drying B is an immobile nutrient
Boron Deficiency UF/IFAS Philodendron
Boron Deficiency Tim Broschat Hibiscus: Cupping of leaves
Boron Deficiency Sea hibiscus: Cupping of leaves
Boron Deficiency Queen palm Accordion effect Foxtail palm Unopened spear leaves
Boron Deficiency Sagisi palm Accordion effect of new leaves Tim Broschat
Boron Deficiency 27 November, 2008 29 November, 2009 Royal palm: Entire crown bends in one direction
Combined Deficiencies If more than one deficiencies are present simultaneously, the typical symptoms may not occur.
P & K Deficiencies Ixora: These deficiencies occur primarily in the cool season
Stephen H. Brown is the Horticulture Extension Agent with Lee County Extension locatedinsouthwest Florida. Fact Sheet: Palm Deficiencies Power Points: Big Native Trees II Florida Native Pl Palms Tropical Fruits Brown s Webpage brownsh@ufl.edu YouTubes: Red Silk Cotton Climbing Aster Gladiolus Palmetto Weevil Grubs Queen s Wreath Subscribe at no cost to Brown s Plant File by emailing to brownsh@ufl.edu Please include your first and last names. Reviewed by Dr. Tim Broschat, UF, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Ctr.