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Calathea concinna White Cottony Spots
eco White Cottony Spots

Calathea concinna – White Cottony Spots

Why does your Calathea concinna have white cottony spots? Diagnose the cause and fix it with our step-by-step guide.

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Jump to cause: Mealybugs Powdery Mildew Cottony Blight (Sclerotinia)

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Mealybugs

These small, soft-bodied insects secrete a white, waxy, cotton-like substance to protect themselves. They feed on the sap of Calathea concinna, often clustering in the crevices between leaves and near the stem bases.

Very Common
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How to confirm: Use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to dab the white spots; if they dissolve and turn brown, it is likely mealybugs.
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1 Isolate the plant immediately from other greenery to prevent the mealybugs from spreading to your entire collection.
2 Use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to manually remove the white cottony clusters from the leaf crevices and stem bases.
3 Apply an organic insecticide spray to the plant to eliminate any remaining insects and larvae.
Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz
Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz
0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic
$10
In Stock
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Powdery Mildew

This fungal disease appears as a white powdery coating on the surface of the leaves. It thrives in the high-humidity conditions Calathea concinna prefers, especially if there is poor air circulation around the foliage.

Common
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How to confirm: Observe if the white spots look like a fine dusting of flour that can be wiped off the leaf surface.
build How to fix it
shopping_cart Recommended Products
1 Apply an organic fungicide to the affected leaves to eliminate the powdery mildew spores and prevent further spread.
Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide 32 oz
Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide 32 oz
0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic
$12
In Stock
2 Improve air circulation around your Calathea by spacing plants further apart or using a small fan to prevent moisture from stagnating on the foliage.
3 Prune and discard any heavily infected leaves to reduce the fungal load on the rest of the plant.
Fiskars 5/8" Bypass Pruning Shears
Fiskars 5/8" Bypass Pruning Shears
Cutting Tools
$13
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Cottony Blight (Sclerotinia)

While less common in indoor environments, certain fungal pathogens can produce white, fuzzy mycelium on leaf surfaces, especially if the Calathea is kept in stagnant, high-humidity air.

Common
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How to confirm: Check if the white spots are accompanied by soft, rotting tissue or dark lesions on the leaves.
build How to fix it
shopping_cart Recommended Products
1 Remove and discard all heavily infected leaves to prevent the fungal mycelium from spreading to healthy foliage.
2 Apply an organic fungicide to the affected areas and surrounding leaves to control the spread of the blight.
Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide 32 oz
Bonide Captain Jack's Copper Fungicide 32 oz
0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic
$12
In Stock
3 Improve air circulation around the plant by using a small fan and avoid overhead watering to reduce the stagnant, high-humidity conditions that favor Sclerotinia.

Other Calathea concinna problems

Your plant might also be experiencing one of these issues:

eco Yellow Leaves chevron_right
eco Brown Leaf Tips chevron_right
eco Drooping Leaves chevron_right
eco Tiny Black Flies chevron_right
eco White Powder chevron_right
local_hospital All symptoms eco All plants with white cottony spots
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