Why Does Your Anthurium Have Holes In Its Leaves?


A anthurium plant on the article Why Does Your Anthurium Have Holes In Its Leaves

For a vibrant and hardy plant, people are now leaning towards Anthuriums which are indigenous to America, making it easy to coax them into growing indoors.

While many people confuse their bright red foliage for flowers, these are actually leaves with a slight twist.

That should make for an exciting conversation with your guests as they marvel over the plant’s beauty.

Thus, it would be pretty disheartening to wake up one day and find holes in the plant’s leaves.

Like with any other plant parent, your first question would be, ‘why does the anthurium have holes in its leaves?’ We know why! Keep reading!

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Why Does your Anthurium Have Holes in its Leaves?

A anthurium flowerThe reason your anthurium has holes in it’s leaves is Pests! You see, we often focus on care practices such as watering and humidity levels, among others, and feel that we have done our part.

However, sometimes, it’s crucial to go a step further and assess how well the plant is doing by looking at its exterior.

If you’re thorough, you can catch the pests before they cause too much damage.

And if you follow all the care practices to the letter, you can even prevent pest infestations, as we will later show you!

You may also like: anthurium vs philodendron

What is Eating my Anthurium Leaves?

Let’s look at some pesky bugs you should be on the lookout for to stop them eating your anthurium leaves. The main culprits are:

Mealybugs

These wingless insects are common in warmer climates, and if you live in a hot region, your plant may be more vulnerable to their attacks.

They exhibit as cotton masses on the leaves and stems of the plant. Once settled, they feed on the plant juices using their stylets (long mouthparts inserted into the plant tissues) and damage the plant.

If the mealybugs are not many, you may not even notice the damage, and they can feed on the plant for long before you even (if ever) notice their presence.

However, in large numbers, they can damage the plant to the point of causing leaf yellowing and curling and even start showing holes on the leaf surface.

If not addressed, these pests can kill your plant.

Aphids

Almost every gardener has dealt with aphids at some point. These pesky insects come in more than 40,000 species!

It’s hard to tell which one will affect your plant. Generally, these trailing insects work like mealybugs by sucking on the plant juices and slowly damaging the plant.

As they feed, they produce honeydew which soon becomes infested with black sooty mold, indicating that all is not well.

Additionally, the plant’s leaves may exhibit yellowing and curling, and the plant may suffer overall stunted growth.

Unfortunately, these plants can also spread incurable diseases, killing your plant.

Thrips

It would surprise you how small these insects are. Their tiny nature makes it challenging to spot them when relying on the naked eye.

However, you can always trust the symptoms instead of trying to catch on to this pest which has more than 6,000 species.

By sucking the juice in the leaves, the plant’s leaves start weakening and start giving off a discolored brown hue.

Additionally, you may notice some black spots on the leaves, which are feces from the pests.

As much as these insects are small, they rely on the power of numbers and feed in large groups, thus causing a lot of damage over a short period.

Spider Mites

It might surprise you, but these are not true insects but rather, they are relatives of spiders and fall under arachnids.

The adults feature a reddish-brown hue and are pretty small (the tunes of a fiftieth of an inch). You can imagine how hard it would be to spot one mite.

Luckily, they live in colonies, and you can catch them by studying the underside of the affected leaves.

Mites shelter here and feed on the plant fluids, which show as dots on the leaves. If not dealt with, the leaves start yellowing and eventually fall off.

If you’re enjoying this article, check out our article on why is your anthurium flower bud turning brown.

Other Causes for Anthurium to Have Holes in its Leaves

Your plant may also be suffering from a disease such as:

1) Bacterial Blight: This disease shows up as yellow spots on the leaf edges, which gradually show as sores. It’s important to watch how you trim or cut your leaves to prevent any infestation.

2) Humidity Alterations: To regulate the humidity we have an article on what is the ideal humidity for a anthurium.

3) Root Rot

4) Bacterial Wilt

5) High Temperatures

How to Fix your Anthurium Holes in its Leaves

To fix your anthurium holes in the leaves you need to deal with the pests. You can deal with your pests a few ways, depending on how lodged they are in the plant. These include:

Hosing them Down

Use a moderate amount of pressure and direct water in short and sharp blasts at the affected areas.

The pests should fall off, and you can hose down the surrounding area, ensuring you get rid of the pests.

Using Natural Means

Gardeners often swear by horticultural soaps and oil sprays when dealing with pests in low numbers.

These natural means do not harm the soil or the plant and are great for a sustainable pest control method.

Using Insecticides

Sometimes, natural means on their own are not enough to deal with the task at hand.

You can look for pesticides which comprise a wide range of natural ingredients and some chemicals to get the work done.

You’ll find that often, people use such means to deal with mealybugs which tend to be tough.

Overall, the best way to deal with pests is to be vigilant from the start and deal with them early on using simple and effective means.

Get Your Anthurium Here!

 

How to Prevent Holes in the Leaves of Your Anthurium

A red anthuriumA good way to prevent holes in the leaves of your anthurium is to provide your plant with the care it deserves, you will hardly need to worry about pest invasions that can damage your plant.

However, please note that inadequacies and inconsistencies in your care routine can also be to blame. Generally, you should:

1) Feed the plant with top dressing every three weeks

2) Ensure the humidity does not fall lower than 70%

3) Keep the leaves moist by rubbing them with a damp cloth or misting them

4) Maintain a temperature range of 18-25 degrees

5) Water the plant often and ensure the soil is well-draining and well-aerated

It’s much easier to prevent pests than it is to get rid of them. However, even if they have attacked your plant, do not fret. You are a few insecticides away from a healthy plant.

Before you go, here are some more related articles I encourage you to read below to help solve more of your gardening issues:

How to solve anthurium leaf problems

Anthurium Light Requirements

Happy Gardening!

Written by: Daisy Njeri

Bean Growing

We provide a wide range of information from indoor to outdoor plants to product recommendations to make your gardening experience the best it can possibly be. We are not experts in gardening but through extensive research and experience we will give you the best information to provide the best care for your plants.

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