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yellowing leaves #272030

Asked August 21, 2015, 9:30 PM EDT

Two of my plants have leaves that are turning a pale green color with dark veins. They are a yellow shrimp plant which is in the ground and a blue butterfly bush that is in a container. Should I try some Epsom salts, iron or something else? Not sure how to identify the problem. I use Osmocote time release fertilizer and Miracle Gro on all my plants except my orchids. My shrimp plant leaves look similar to this only it is lighter green and darker veins than this one.

Lake County Florida

Expert Response

Yellowing leaves with dark green veins (also known as interveinal chlorosis) is a common symptom of a nutrient deficiency problem.  However, determining which nutrient is deficient will involve closer inspection of the plant. 

First, you’ll need to determine which part of the plant is exhibiting the symptoms.  If symptoms are present in the older leaves, then we can narrow it down to Magnesium or Potassium.  In broadleaf trees and shrubs, a Magnesium deficiency is characterized as interveinal leaf chlorosis (or in some plant species as an inverted green V at the leaf base), whereas Potassium is typically characterized by leaf tip or leaf margin necrosis, with or without interveinal chlorosis.

If the symptoms are present in the newest or recently mature leaves, then we can narrow it down to Manganese, Iron, and possibly Zinc.  If the leaves are not in rosettes (a circular arrangement that resembles a rose), we can eliminate Zinc as the cause.  A plant with Manganese deficiency often has prominent wide green veins verses the fine green veins exhibited with an Iron deficiency.

A good resource for diagnosing plant nutrient deficiencies can be found at: http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/nutdef/index.shtml

While pinpointing which nutrient is deficient in the soil may help you determine which fertilizer you’ll need, it is important to note that a soil pH test may also be in order if the fertilizer does nothing to correct the problem.  All plants have an optimal soil pH range.  If the soil pH is too high or too low for the species, the plant will be unable to take up certain nutrients even if there is a high concentration of the nutrient in the soil.  For example, plants growing in alkaline soils often exhibit micronutrient deficiency symptoms that can only be corrected by lowering the pH of the soil.  However, for areas with naturally alkaline soils or elevated pH soils near new construction (some construction materials leach alkaline materials), selecting plant species tolerant of high pH soils is recommended.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied September 01, 2015, 11:39 AM EDT
It sounds like they have a magnesium deficiency from your explanation. Thank you very much for the info and the link! lige
The Question Asker Replied September 01, 2015, 2:17 PM EDT

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