My gf got me a Canela ™ Cinnamon Plant (Cinnamomum kotoense) from Home Depot. It is for my bird room. From the time she brought it over it has been going downhill. Leaves are dying. I cannot find any bugs, even the ubiquitous fungus gnats are not present. It is under four full spectrum fluorescent bulbs, so it is not a light issue.
Any ideas? I realize you are not my horticulturist, and the plant is not your patient.
Here is a pic of the plant:
This is a pic of how the leaves are progressing:
Any help appreciated. I have started air layering the healthiest parts of the plant just in case.
I suspect spider mites. The dried out leaves look like the end results of an infestation (early damage is a mottled appearance of the leaves). Spider mites are extremely small and hard to spot; dust-like, almost. Try using a magnifying glass. You can also mist the plant (for diagnostic purposes, not cultural ones) and see if you spot fine webbing–another sign of an infestation.
Spider mites thrive in hot, dry environments and are often found on plants, like english ivies, that prefer the opposite conditions (cool and humid). Canelas are newish to the houseplant trade and I don’t know if they fall into that category or not.
As for treating a spider mites infestation. They are the devil to get rid of. They seem to scoff at insecticidal soap. Frequent spraying with an isopropyl alcohol and water solution might help.
The leaves are becoming crispy. I’ve seen spider mites and their webbing before, but I will go over the plant with a fine tooth comb tonight. The soil is what it came in a week ago, and looks like generic potting soil.
Hasn’t been transplanted. However, I would consider transplanting it to inspect the roots for root rot but it would be difficult to maneuver the plant with the layered areas.
Bingo (I think). I went over the plant with a hand lens, no bugs. The only thing I can think of is that the plant was transported under cold conditions. Looks like the plant will survive, though.
Yep, those leaves have been burned so Squink has probablynailed it: cold damage. Beyond that they could have been burned by any number of other things, from exposure to vehicle exhaust, excessive sun, being pressed against a hot wall, being sprayed with something.and so forth. Impossible to say what causes burning. But the good news is that the plant should recover since there seem to be quite a few undamaged leaves.
I’d say cold got to it, before you bought it or on the way home. They come shipped in a paper or plastic sleeves after being in a dark truck stacked together for sometimes days. They could be messed up from transport. Many times the leaves just drop off a few days after the sleeves are removed from the shipping stress. It’s not likely something you did, and I would take it back to Home Depot. I bet they have ones in the same condition still in the store.
Agree that exposure to cold is probably the culprit. It’s a large plant: was it transported in the back of a pick-up truck—that would do it. Or, was it left in the GF’s car overnight until she gave it to you? That would do it, too, under current weather in PA.
Home Depot might just exchange the plant, but if you want to stick by this particular feller, you can help it out by removing the damaged leaves. (Less unhealthy tissue to sustain remaining, more energy devoted to new growth) Try to pull down on the leaf at the node (where the leaf meets the stem), and, it might break right off. Look under the node, and there should be a tiny green bud of a future leaf if the plant is healthy. Without the old leaf to support, the new leaf should flush out. If the old leaf doesn’t break right off, cut it off close to the node, signalling new leaf growth.
Looked at your picture of the plant again, and it looks like it’s the right side that’s damaged most. I’d probably cut down that whole branch, down to the base, so the plant doesn’t have to struggle with maintaining the injury. Looks like you have at least four other healthy branches, so it won’t be missed.
She did indeed bring the plant home in a pick up truck (with a cap) and she feels terrible about the cold damage. I have removed all bad leaves and the remaining plant looks fine. Initially, things were deteriorating so fast that I was worried.
The four spots where I am airlayering the plant look great. Anyone who wants part of the plant can stop by in a couple months.
