Jades are houseplants that look super classy and easy to take care of. They need bright light and proper water in hot seasons. Besides this, they are self-sufficient.
White spots are often seen on the plant leaves, even when the plant is in good growing conditions. As a house gardener, your concern is genuine.
But there is nothing to worry about if the overall health of the plant is not degrading.
White spots can be due to a fungal disease or a natural phenomenon. Whatever be the reason behind the white spots on your jade, there are easy ways to treat the issue.
Why does my jade plant have white spots?
White spots on a jade plant can be because of a fungal disease, excess salts, powdery millets, or also be natural. Many times, if you rub the white spots on your jade leaves, it is no less than wear.
One cause of these spots may be powdery millets. Sometimes the plants store excess salt that is sweated out through their leaves, causing white spots. Let us learn about all the causes of white spots in detail.
1. Powdery mildew
If you are an experienced gardener, then you must be familiar with powdery mildew. This condition occurs when plants are in low light, improper circulation, cooler temperatures, or excess humidity.
Watering the leaves in excess will make foliage damp, and the plants will stay moist for a longer duration in winters.
Overhead watering leads to the formation of fungal spores that can cause powdery millets.
Another threat of overhead watering is hard water spots on leaves.
You must avoid overhead watering and use a fan to increase circulation. Spray a solution of baking soda and vinegar on the affected areas for treating white spots due to powdery mildew.
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2. Excess salts
Jades, like all other plants, take up water through their roots. Then by the process of transpiration, this water is used by all the plant parts. Jade plants have the characteristic that they can store water in their fleshy leaves.
This trait makes them ideal species for arid zones. They also capture and store water from infrequent rainfalls. The plump appearance of the leaves is due to the stored water.
Rainwater has salts, so when jades store this water, they also store salts.
When watering is done by a salty solution, the trapped moisture will leave the leaves through transpiration and will leave a salt residue on the leaves.
It may be one of the reasons for the white spots on your jade plant. You can wipe these spots off with the help of a moist cloth to restore the appearance of the foliage.
3. Insects
Jades are rarely affected by insects. Mealybugs are the most common insects that attack the jade leaves. Mealybugs are white and resemble cotton balls. If your jade pots are indoors and you suddenly move them out, it is prone to get attacked by these insects.
These bugs sit on the leaves of plants, and they appear like white spots. An insect attack can impact the plant’s overall health, and you must take steps for protection.
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4. Edema
Edema is a condition in plants caused by excess water. Sometimes roots of the plants take up more water than required, and that too super quickly.
Since the plant does not need that amount of water, it causes an imbalance. The excess water causes cell rupture on the surface of leaves. This cell rupture appears as white spots on the leaves.
5. Spider mites
Spider mites on jade leaves are another reason for white spots. Spider mites can hide in the soil and are red. They attack the leaves by forming webs on their surface.
It is a serious concern, and you should take immediate action. Apart from causing white spots, it can kill the entire plant.
If you see any webs getting formed on the surface of the leaves, do not ignore them.
If not treated on time, spider mites will kill your entire jade plant. They can also transmit from one plant to another in the garden, so all your houseplants are at stake.
6. Other reasons
Although jade plants are less prone to attack by insects, some less common bugs find the jade leaves comfortable. Keeping the jade pots outdoors in warm weather is significant to provide the necessary light and temperature.
However, if your jade is outdoors in the summer season, you must take extra care to protect them from insects.
Do not let the leaves get damaged as they can attract bugs. Insects may take accommodation in the flakes of these leaves.
A more serious issue than an insect attack is the breeding of insects on the leaf surface. Observe the leaves of your jades and take them out at least once a week to provide early treatment.
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How to fix white spots on the jade plant?
There are various ways through which you can fix the white spots on the jade plants. Many times, the spots go away by simply cleaning the leaf surface with a wet cloth.
Almost all the reasons for white spots discussed in the above section can get addressed via home remedies.
If the overall health of your plants is good and white spots only affect the appearance of the foliage, there is nothing to worry about. Read on to know how you can fix these spots.
1. Remedy for powdery mildew
Experienced gardeners can detect powdery mildew at an early stage. If you are sure that the white spots are because of this fungal infection, you can treat it with no difficulty through home remedies.
It will have a lower effect on the health of the plant if treated at an early stage.
To treat the fungal disease at home, mix one teaspoon of baking soda with one teaspoon of detergent soap in a gallon of water. Prepare this mixture and spray it on leaves every day.
Repeat the process till the white spots disappear from the leaf’s surface.
This solution will also control the spores that appear as white spots on the leaves. You can also prepare a solution of baking soda and vinegar and spray it regularly on leaves. Make sure the solution dries before spraying it again.
2. Cleaning your jade plants
Cleaning the leaves well can also make the white spots on them disappear. It is the best way to treat the white spots formed on the leaves due to excess salts. All you need is a wet cloth.
Wet a clean cloth, gently wipe off all the leaves of the plants, and monitor them for weakness. Do not clean just the upper portion and also the base of the leaves.
If after one week the spots appear again, the reason for these spots is not excess salt. The spots due to excess salts take longer to return. Observe your plants well, as these spots might be due to powdery mildew or an insect attack.
3. Repot your jade plants
Re-potting has a significant role to play in maintaining the overall health of your plant. Not only does it promote growth, but it also protects plants from insects. Through repotting, you will change the pots and also the soil in which the plants live.
You should change the soil in a year or two as contaminated soil becomes home to several insects, fungus, and bugs.
These insects will severely affect the roots of plants. You can also change the soil, but changing the pots will ensure no transfer of insects.
Select a proper pot so that the roots get space to grow more. After repotting, water the plants only after a week. Jades are sturdy plants and can survive without water for long periods.
Taking a break from watering will give the roots time to hold correctly.
Fill the pot with new soil and do not mix the old ones in it.
Dispose of the old soil properly so that the bugs in it do not find their way back into your garden. Repotting is the best remedy to treat breeding and recurring insects.
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4. Reschedule watering of your jade plants
Less light and low exposure to the sun in the winter season can also cause white spots on the jade leaves. Avoid regular watering during the cold season. Jades are robust plants and can survive without water.
They store water in their leaves and can use it whenever necessary.
Overwatering can lead to the formation of fungus on leaves.
Fungal infections are a chief contributor to white spots. Touch the soil with your fingers and check if it is dry or not. Water your plants only when the soil is dry. Watering the wet soil can cause molds.
5. Provide correct lighting to your jades
All the jade owners know how important lighting is for these tropical plants. They need full sun for at least 4 to 5 hours daily and temperatures higher than 65 F.
If you have kept your pots in less light, it can attract insects. Less light can also cause powdery mildew. For proper growth, keep the jade plants in bright sunshine every day for at least six hours.
In winters, keep them exposed to direct sunlight for as long as possible.
Place the pots near a window that receives natural light or in a well-lit room. It will help in eliminating the problem of white spots to a great extent.
6. Ventilate your jade plants well
The space where you place the jade plants should get proper ventilation. If rooms are moist during the winters, use fans to boost circulation. Open windows so that the plants get fresh air and natural light.
When plants get proper airflow, they are less likely to be attacked by fungus. It will also reduce the breeding of fungus on the leaf surface, thus eradicating the white spots.
Final words
Gardening is not an easy task as you need to take care of so many factors for maintaining a healthy garden. You must keep the plants under constant observation so that they grow well.
Constant observation will let you know even the slightest changes so that you can treat your plant well before it’s too late. White spots are one of the many concerns that house gardeners have.
All the reasons for the white spots on jade leaves can get addressed via home remedies.
To keep the overall health of your plants up, water them well, take care of their light requirements, and do change the soil in the pots.