Ask the Expert: Aralia Fabian dying? I have a large Aralia Fabian on hydroculture which has been doing great for 4 years now. Since three weeks it suddenly starts losing all of its younger leafs and branches and is really getting ‘balder’ by the day. I have no idea what happened, I changed nothing in my routine. The plant was not moved, there have been no changes in watering, light, or humidity conditions. There is no visible problem, no discoloration, no marks or spots. It almost looks like it’s getting too much or too little water, but as I said, I’ve used the same routine for 4 years now and never had a problem. Any clues what could be going on, and can I still save my plant? Thanks! Stephan

Stephan,

Aralia Fabian (Polyscias speices) has a few pests that can cause wilting and  a general decline in the plant. Those pests are spider mites, mealybugs and root-knot nematodes. I am ruling out the possibility of mealybugs because – mealybugs are visible to the naked eye and not present in the picture. Spider mites, however, are not visible to the naked eye. You will need a magnifying glass – look at the backside of a wilted leaf and a healthy leaf – if you see activity on the leaf, you have spider mites. In this case, you will need to spray the Aralia Fabian with an insecticide. Your local garden center should have a houseplant spray that is appropriate for this situation. To check for root knot nematodes, you will need to see the roots. Since this plant is grown hydroponically that should be easy. If the roots have a swelled appearance, you probably have nematodes and will need a nemacide. Your local garden center can help you find the right nemacide for this situation.
You will need to trim out any of the dead. When you depose of the dead material; do not put it in your compost pile – put it in the garbage. Clean your pruning shears with a light bleach and water solution after you finish trimming the plant.

Once you have corrected the problem your Aralia Fabian should make a full recovery.