Fatsia heroically saved

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allangreenbean

Fatsia heroically saved

Post by allangreenbean »

I seem to have a habit of losing Fatsias and it is usually the more expensive ones such as annelise.

I think its due to damp roots but not entirely sure.

The symptoms are that the leaves go all droopy and collapse. The leaves do not discolour or die but do eventually drop off.

I move one yesterday and think I got it just in time.

Potted it up and a couple of days later was right as rain.

Any ideas?
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Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Fatsia heroically saved

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Vine weevil?

Under/over watering?
fern Rob

Re: Fatsia heroically saved

Post by fern Rob »

I also think Vine Weevil, as it got any bite marks on the leaves.
flounder

Re: Fatsia heroically saved

Post by flounder »

I've found it very rare for adult vine weevil to feed on the leaves, but the larvae will decimate the roots in days.
fern Rob

Re: Fatsia heroically saved

Post by fern Rob »

Vine Weevil eat foliage and insects where the larvae eat the roots. The reason I suggested cheking the foliage is becasue they make a sharp jagged patten onthe leaves.
What are fatsia roots like? As Vine Weevil larvae like fleshy roots.
:)
GaryW

Re: Fatsia heroically saved

Post by GaryW »

I lost a variegated Fatsia this year too ! The leaves collapsed and were very floppy, now it's brown and dead within a few weeks ! I think it's a fungus that kills the roots and stem at ground level so yeah being too wet didn't help I suppose icon_scratch
Blairs

Re: Fatsia heroically saved

Post by Blairs »

allangreenbean wrote: The symptoms are that the leaves go all droopy and collapse. The leaves do not discolour or die but do eventually drop off.

Any ideas?
As everyone else has said that does sound like Vine Weevil larvae, though when you removed the plant did you see that it had no roots or found grubs?

I lost 3 small Fatsia due to the cold snap (-6 in March) that knocked out the new growth and even though I removed the blackened bits appeared got inside the stem and that slowly killed them off - the lower leaves looked fine but am guessing were getting no water or nutrients from the roots because of the black rot.
flounder

Re: Fatsia heroically saved

Post by flounder »

In my garden, adult vine weevil don't normally eat fatsia leaves. Instead they prefer camelia, bergenia and some smaller herbaceous stuff. They don't eat other insects.
Larval attack would normally happen in pots, they prefer a peaty compost so maybe it's water or weather based as suggested
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