AboutDarlene K. Kittle Expertise I have been a Master Gardener for 20 years and I raise around 300 houseplants a year including tropicals, succulents, and cacti.
Experience She is also studying the Japanese art of bonsai with tropical plants and is President of the Fort Wayne, IN Bonsai Club.
Education/Credentials I am not a hortculturist. I am a Purdue University Master Gardener for over 20 years. I have studied plants on a personal level by growing hundreds of plants annually for the last 35 years. I have also studied under several nationally known American Bonsai experts.
Question QUESTION: Hello, My wax malphigia was v much healthy, but recently it lost all its leaves and new leaves are also turning black.I m in India here summers are very severe, i had kept it in shade.
ANSWER: Priyanshi,
Your plant needs to be misted or sitting on a humidity tray if the air is very dry in your area. It should not be allowed to totally dry out ever. But it also cannot sit constantly in a tray full of water or the roots will rot, that could be what is causing your black leaves.. You need to set it in a small drain tray and empty that an hour after you water it. Then you need to set that in a larger tray full of water that is a humidity tray full of water to evaporate around the plant to keep the air moist but not let the roots rot. It does need some sun but not constant sun. Morning sun would be good with shade in the afternoon. If you have more questions write again. Good luck.
Darlene
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QUESTION: Mam what is drain tray? I am not aware of it at all.
Answer I'm sorry, I am assuming that your plant is in a flower pot and has a round tray under it that is slightly larger in diameter than the pot for excess water to drain into. If it was indoors you would want a drain tray under it to protect your window sill or furniture. Out doors you set the plant in the drain tray then set that in a larger tray of water so that water evaporates around the plant and keeps the air humid making it easier for the plant to survive but so the plant is not sitting in the humidity tray. I hope that answers your questions. If not you may email me at plantlady6@yahoo.com
Good luck!
