Hedera iberica ‘Aracena’ - Spanish ivy

All about the health of my ivy

Is all ivy necrosis caused by disease?

Ivy is rarely a diseased plant. However, necrosis of the leaves can sometimes occur. This is not necessarily due to disease. Necrosis, which manifests itself as the death of certain plant tissues, can in fact have a number of non-pathogenic causes. Here are a few reasons other than disease that can cause necrosis on ivy:

• Drought Lack of water can cause leaf tissue to dry out and die, particularly around the edges and tips.
• Excess water Stagnant water around the roots can cause a lack of oxygen, leading to root death and leaf necrosis.
• Sudden changes in temperature Late frosts or heat waves can cause necrosis, especially on the more sensitive new shoots.
• Sunburn Sunburn: Sudden exposure to intense sunlight, especially after a period in the shade, can cause sunburn on the leaves, leading to necrotic spots.
• Nutrient deficiencies A lack of certain nutrients, such as potassium or magnesium, can lead to leaf necrosis.
• Excess fertiliser Too much fertiliser, especially salt-rich fertilisers, can burn the roots, leading to leaf necrosis.
• Sucking insects Insects such as aphids, mealybugs and mites can cause necrosis by sucking the sap from leaves, resulting in dead areas on the leaves.
• Leaf ageing As with all plants, ivy leaves age naturally and eventually die. Necrosis due to ageing is generally uniform and often starts with the lowest or oldest leaves.

It is therefore important to observe the symptoms carefully and to consider all the growing conditions to determine the exact cause of the necrosis.