Need help identifying pest! Please!
 

Hello,

I need some help identifying what's wrong with my poor plant and a solution to the problem. I'd be grateful if anyone here could help me with this.

My plant was doing very well till a few months ago when it started to seem 'droopier' than normal. Recently, some of its leaves have begun to discolor to a very light, sickly green and falling off. I notice that most of the droopy and sick leaves have brown/black spots on their surfaces, as well as odd patches of a transparent substance, especially on the veins of the leaves.

I have included pictures of the spots and transparent patches with this post.

Does anyone know what this is, and, especially, how to get rid of it? Poor Mr. Planty isn't looking so good!

Hi Starrburst.

The brown could be overwatering, sun scald or any number of things. The white on the leaves looks like powdery mildew. What is Mr. Planty's name? Any other info on him? Planted indoors or outdoors?

Newt

He is Fox Poinsettia in a pot kept indoors. There isn't really much else to say about him. Mr. Planty is very nondescript.

I found these sites. I do not recommend the use of the chemicals recommended here. The browning seems to resemble Alternaria blight as noted here.
http://ipm.ncsu.edu/current_ipm/96Pe.../ornament.html

I found this interesting.
http://www.wezel.com/garden/articles/poinset.htm

The white looks suspiciously like powdery mildew. The brown spots can also be a result of that as well.
http://www.caes.state.ct.us/PlantPes...hP/pphpoin.htm

I would suggest the use of a fungicide that you can make your self along with disposing of any dropped leaves as soon as you see them. Any of the first three here would work. If you think you have one of the fungal diseases going on as well, use the third recipe with the citrus oil.
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=204

Hope this helps,
Newt

Thanks, Newt. I've read through all the articles and I'll probably try one of the three mix-it-yourself fungicides on the dirtdoctor site. They seem pretty all-purpose, so here's hoping they work!

Thanks again.

Starrburst,

You are very welcome. I do hope that works for you.

Newt