wisteria leaves

[pdw1731]

the lower leaves on my wisterias are all slightly curled and brown just on the edges. However, my uppermost leaves/ newer growth are all pleastely green with now "crisping" of the edges. Is this normal? I've searched thru the forums here and on other sites and cannot really nail down an answer. Thanks

 

[aqua_chem]

Whats your nitrate levels, light level, and water hardness? It sounds like either nitrogen deprivation or calcium.

 

[pdw1731]

nitrate levels 20-40
it's a 29 gallon with low-med light run for 10 hrs/day
no idea on water hardness - no testing kit yet

 

[aqua_chem]

nitrate levels 20-40
it's a 29 gallon with low-med light run for 10 hrs/day
no idea on water hardness - no testing kit yet

Do you add any micronutrients? Flourish, etc?


I sounds like it's lacking some mineral. Calcium deficiency can cause 'wrinkling', but being as it's a major source of water hardness, we could rule that out if we knew you had hard water.


Also, your new growth might be shading the older stuff.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Is this a new plant? That almost sounds like emersed to submersed acclimation.

 

[aqua_chem]

If that's the case, wisteria has VERY obviously different leaf structure for emersed growth.

Submerged has the ferny fingered look, like most wisteria pictures you'll see on here. Emersed look spade shaped with serrated edges:

Which does yours look like?

 

[mfdrookie516]

I think there are different varieties of wisteria as well. My submersed growth always looked like that, only a more yellowish light green (not deprived by any means, just not that dark and thick). But... there is a noticeable difference between the submersed and emersed growth in the leaf shape that I had as well.

 

[aqua_chem]

Heck, there's a difference between my low tech and high tech tanks with the same plant!




Wisteria man



EDIT: Also, the photo might have been edited to make the colors seem more green.

 

[pdw1731]

Do you add any micronutrients? Flourish, etc?


I sounds like it's lacking some mineral. Calcium deficiency can cause 'wrinkling', but being as it's a major source of water hardness, we could rule that out if we knew you had hard water.


Also, your new growth might be shading the older stuff.

I dose flourish 2x a week and do pwc 1x a week. I'm using eco-complete so i dont do dry ferts yet (been up and running about a month now).

How do i test for mineral deficiencies or is it just a watch and see thing?

 

[pdw1731]

Is this a new plant? That almost sounds like emersed to submersed acclimation.

they're about a month old and growing pretty strongly. Got 'em from Petco so I'm doing the best I can with what i know so far

 

[pdw1731]

If that's the case, wisteria has VERY obviously different leaf structure for emersed growth.

Submerged has the ferny fingered look, like most wisteria pictures you'll see on here. Emersed look spade shaped with serrated edges:

Which does yours look like?

looks more 'fingery" as you described.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I'd say that's what you're seeing then. Most of the time, IME, chain stores sell emersed grown plants. Not a bad thing, they just look like crap during their transition most of the time. I'd give it another month or so before blaming it on a deficiency.

 

[aqua_chem]

Exactly what kind of lights do you have? It might be carbon stunting, but I don't know if that would cause the melt in the lower leaves....



I've also seen that I get diatoms that grow only on the outline of my wisteria leaves. It might sound silly, but does the brown rub off?

 

[aqua_chem]

I got my first wisteria from a petsmart tube, but never saw any melt back.


When you say it was from petco, was it in a tube, or a bunch?

 

[pdw1731]

I'd say that's what you're seeing then. Most of the time, IME, chain stores sell emersed grown plants. Not a bad thing, they just look like crap during their transition most of the time. I'd give it another month or so before blaming it on a deficiency.

Yeah, i just wanted to run it past some other voices first. I was thinikng of just trimming the bottom ones off on few to see what happens. I may do it anyway just for the experience

 

[pdw1731]

I got my first wisteria from a petsmart tube, but never saw any melt back.


When you say it was from petco, was it in a tube, or a bunch?

Tube in that gel stuff

 

[mfdrookie516]

Here's what mine looked like before I finally got it all out of my tanks:

This is what most people see: Water Wisteria Hygrophila difformis aquarium


I guess pictures would definitely help determine what the actual issue is. I think a month is a little soon to be seeing any deficiencies with a plant that literally grows like a weed. I had 3" of growth in one day with mine at times.

 

[epiphysis]

Nutrient deficiencies in older leaves are due to lack of nutrients that plant can mobilize from older parts to new growing parts. If its the older leaves then it might be either nitrogen, phosphorous, potasium, magnesium, zinc or molybdenum. Since you are already dosing flourish and do have natrates in your system it could be either phophates or potasium that the plants are needing.

I also suggest to leave as it is and see what happens in a month or so. If it still is the same try dosing some macro ferts. Might be potassium because plants use plenty of that.

Also keep an eye on algae. If there is some developing then the type of algae is also an indicator as to what is lacking or in exess.

 

[aqua_chem]

Potassium deficiency has a pretty unique look to it, IME. Little pinholes that take over old growth leaves. Phosphate deficiencies are more varied, but I usually can tell when I'm having that problem by GSA and yellow dots on my plants. Brown edges doesn't seem like either of those.


I think a picture might be in order.

 

[pdw1731]

here are some pics i took this morn