Sounds like fertilizer buildup. You can try flushing out the fertilizers by running tepid water through the soil until it drains clear. Or, you could re-pot in a potting medium that has no added fertilizers...

Karin

I agree with Karin. It sounds as though you should back off on the fertilizing as well.

Linda

Karin and Linda, that must be the case because it did occur a few weeks after my application of fertilizer. Wow, you are both so knowledgeable!

I'm glad we nailed it! How have you been fertilizing and what are you using?

I've been raising violets since 1972 so I've learned a trick or two!

Linda

Linda, I added commercial fertilizer into the water of the outer pot.

Juju,

What fertilizer are you using and how much, how often?

Linda

â¢Posted by whitelacey 6 (My Page) on Mon, Oct 27, 14 at 0:53

I only put a pinch of a chemical fertilizer for pine trees into the pot.

I must post a follow up.

After I changed the water back to plain water (tap water sitting for a few days), the plant has completely recovered. There is no more ill symptom. I did not need to flush the soil.

I've had the same experience with some of my plants but left the orange specks alone. I was not fertilizing at all, just using plain water, so the fertilizer must have been in the soil I used for the last repotting. The plants seem healthy and undamaged, so I am hoping that in time the fertilizer will get used/flushed out to the point where it is no longer too much. Does over fertilizing cause problems - other than this crystalline debris?