new leaves on fiddleleaf fig has clusters of small red dots

14 years ago

Hello!

I had recently posted a question on this forum regarding my fiddleleaf fig tree and it was diagnosed as a general transplant shock. I had another question. The tree seems to be doing better (phew!) and sprouting out new leaves everywhere! BUT. The new leaves have clusters of these little rusty colored dots. They are shiny and just in the leaves (can be seen from front and back) but is NOT fuzzy or fungus-y. So I don't think it's rust. These dots are mostly just in the newest leaves...

Should I be concerned? What is going on??

THANK YOU SO MUCH! :)

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elfe99_hotmail_com

12 years ago

I did some research because I think I'm having the same problem. I believe the problem may be under watering. Here's what I found at http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/foliage/folnotes/ficus.htm:

"Excessive moisture stress

Symptoms -
Small reddish spots, 1-3mm across, on the undersides of leaves of F. lyrata. The symptom is usually observed on stock plants in full sun which have been air layered, and most frequently during the driest months of December through June. This condition is rare on plants grown in shade. Leaves on wilted layers or cuttings of F. elastica, and possibly some other species, remain in relaxed orientation after normal moisture content is restored. This is a permanent condition. Branches of trees in an active state of growth may bend under moisture stress, then partially recover, leaving a permanent kink or "dogleg" in the stem.
Control -
Severe moisture stress can usually be avoided through good nursery practices. Leaf spotting can be prevented by timely irrigation of stock and use of the vertical slit technique of air layering versus the girdling procedure. Permanent petiole wilt and stem kinking can be avoided with adequate soil moisture and high humidity during propagation.

Prevention of excessive root development outside the container eliminates most of the shock that occurs when large segments of root are severed from plants because roots extend into soil below the pot. Use of plastic ground covers, drip irrigation and root pruning during production usually eliminates root pruning shock when plants are removed."
It could be something else, but I'm gonna try to water more and see what happens.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ficus Production Guide

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Comments (8)

patchesnbrownie
Original Author
14 years ago
Here is a close up shot! Please see the other photo on my original msg above.

Here is a link that might be useful: Close up photo
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Hunter V
7 years ago
Did you ever figure out what was wrong? I'm experiencing the exact same red dots!
katiedsmith
7 years ago
Same here. All new leaves that appeared after purchase have been speckled.
hoopinharper
6 years ago
Was under watering the problem? I have had my fiddle leaf fig for a couple of years and it is really healthy and produces new leaves at least every months, but the newest leaves came out with the little rusty colored dots. I am going to up the watering a bit and see what happens, but if you guys have more information on what worked and what didn't please share!
Anna (NYC 7b)
6 years ago
Hi everyone - I also have this problem on my new FLF. I saw elsewhere that it could be related to spider mites, so I took precaution and sprayed with insectidical soap last evening, then ran a lukewarm shower over the bush this morning to give it a thorough rinse and watering (may solve the potential underwatering issue as well?). Hoping to see some results in the next few days and will report back!
Torii Lovvu
5 years ago
I notice that when I purchased my flf that it had MANY red dots all over the old leaves. I repotted my plant because it was time to transplant so I used a mixture of cactus soil, cow poop and earthworm castings . Also idk if this is relevant but I put three inches of rocks at the bottom of my pot so that I won't over water plus it adds humidity. I watered the plant and let it be for 2 weeks until the top inch of soil was dry then I watered it again. When I watered it the second time I mixed in fish and kelp emulsion with a little epson salt and I've grown 5 new leaves in less than 2 and a half weeks. The red spots on the new growth I had was little to none on the first leaf that came out in my possession. Now the leaf after that did get I will say a red vain that was very tiny at the top and 2 other little red dots but I notice that only happened because I kept moving my plant around because the place its in is inconvenient. So maybe it has something to do with inside the pot and constant movement. My house is 75 degrees and stay's at that constant temperature. I don't know if that will help but it helped my plant.
Amalia Guégan
5 years ago
i am experiencing the same problem with my darling Fiddleleaf Fig Tree right now. I have had it since february in its original pot (from Costa Farms) and it has grown exponentially and happily until now (fell in love with it and named it Mayo).... The only thing that changed was its first repotting a month ago. All of a sudden I went from having two new leaves a week to none....until yesterday! two new ones finally perking up, but I looked close and they look really odd, covered in little red dots along the veins on both sides of the leaves. Really wondering what's going on....anyone have solid insight on this phenomenon....? x