Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Treat Black Mold Fungus on a Gardenia
How to Treat Black Mold Fungus on a Gardenia. Like Southern magnolia trees, gardenia shrubs are symbols of Southern living. Standing up to 15 feet high, they have deep green, glossy oval leaves and waxy, creamy white or light yellow blooms. Their March-to-June flowers have a haunting perfume. Small gardenia cultivars are popular, high-maintenance...
Like Southern magnolia trees, gardenia shrubs are symbols of Southern living. Standing up to 15 feet high, they have deep green, glossy oval leaves and waxy, creamy white or light yellow blooms. Their March-to-June flowers have a haunting perfume. Small gardenia cultivars are popular, high-maintenance indoor plants in colder climates. Gardenias are susceptible to sooty mold, a black plant fungus. Sooty mold occurs on gardenias infested with scale or other honeydew-secreting insects. It covers the sticky, honeydew covered leaves with black powder, blocking sunlight and interfering with photosynthesis.
Things You'll Need
Liquid dish detergent
Water
1 tbsp. measuring spoon
Garden hose with sprayer attachment
Removing Black Mold
Mix 1 tbsp. of liquid dish detergent in 1 gallon of water.
Add the detergent and water solution to your garden hose's spray attachment. Spray the gardenia's leaves, buds, flowers and branches thoroughly.
Allow the solution to remain on the gardenia for 15 minutes. Remove it with a strong spray of clean water from the garden hose.
Monitor the gardenia for several weeks. If the black mold returns, reapply the detergent-and-water solution in the same manner.
Treating Black Mold-Causing Insects
Observe your gardenia closely for the honeydew-secreting insects that encourage black mold development. Aphids, mealy bugs and scale insects are three common possibilities.
Record the appearance of the insects you find. Contact your university or county extension, if necessary, to accurately identify the pests. Many universities have online pest identification guides.
Follow your extension's recommendations for treating the insects responsible for your gardenia mold infestation. Horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps or neem oil are common treatments, but their use varies from pest to pest. Repeat the applications as necessary. Eradicating the insects will eliminate the mold.
Tips & Warnings
Ants feed on honeydew and protect honeydew-secreting insects from natural predators. Removing ants from your gardenias with an appropriate insecticide may encourage the predators to return and kill the other pests.
