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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a) commented on a discussion: Brown Patches on Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise)
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Studio Canelle

Its xanthomonas. bacterial disease. quite serious. it can reach anthurium and orchids by water contact. the better is to burn it. sorrowfull but too dangerous for orher plants.

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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

Bacterial leaf spot diseases are initially wet and usually limited at first from expanding beyond leaf venation, making the lesions angular or irregular, while lesions associated with fungal infections are dry and uninhibited from expansion across venation.

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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a) commented on a discussion: Help with drooping bird of paradise
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Jaquillia Jones-Garrott

Repot her and give her your spent coffee grinds...and turn her weekly!

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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

Forum discussions frequently center on the question of adding dilute coffee/tea or grounds to plants as a 'tonic', but Arabica (coffee) and Camellia (tea) are known for their toxic alkaloid (caffeine) content and their allelopathic affect on plants as well as autotoxic (poison to their own seedlings) effects on future generations. Caffeine interferes with root development by impairing protein metabolism. This affects activity of an important bio-compound (PPO) and lignification (the process of becoming woody), crucial steps for root formation.


We also know that the tannins in both coffee and tea are known allelopaths (growth inhibitors). There are ongoing experiments to develop herbicides using extracts from both coffee and tea that cause me to want to say they might serve better as a nonselective herbicide than as a tonic. I would not use either (stale coffee or tea) by applying directly to my plants - especially containerized plants; nor would I add tea bags/coffee grounds to my container soils.

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