How do you determine what is wrong with your plant? How
do you describe what is wrong to another person? Signs
and symptoms.
Symptoms are the
plant's response to a
disease. Signs are evidence of the thing causing the
problem and are not made by the plant itself.
Spots on a leaf are a sign of the causative agent
such as fungi or bacteria. The leaf turning yellow is a
symptom since it is the plant's response to the
infection. A hole in the leaf may be a sign of an insect
chewing on it. Wilting is a symptom that the plant part
is being deprived of water for some reason.
Of course, the first step in identifying signs and
symptoms is to know what the plant is SUPPOSED to look
like naturally. The twisted, distorted branches of the
Harry Lauder's Walking Stick are not a problem. Yellow
streaks on the needles of certain variegated pines is
not a problem.
Here are some details about common plant signs and
symptoms:
