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Black Fungus on an Ixora
Black Fungus on an Ixora. Ixora, or Ixora coccinea, is a flowering woody shrub that grows between 3 and 8 feet tall and produces pink, white or yellow blossoms. Ixora is susceptible to sooty mold, a disease characterized by black fungus on the foliage.
Ixora, or Ixora coccinea, is a flowering woody shrub that grows between 3 and 8 feet tall and produces pink, white or yellow blossoms. Ixora is susceptible to sooty mold, a disease characterized by black fungus on the foliage.
Features
Insects such as aphids, mealybugs, scale and whiteflies are common pests in Ixora plantings. They infest plants and attach their mouthparts to leaves and stems to suck out plant juices. They excrete a sticky, watery substance called honeydew that accumulates on the foliage. The honeydew attracts sooty mold spores.
Effects
The sooty mold fungus reproduces and grows on the honeydew, covering leaves in a thick layer of fungal growth. Sooty mold is usually a cosmetic problem that rarely causes serious harm, but severe infections can slow plant growth by interfering with photosynthesis.
Prevention/Solution
Sooty mold infections are controlled by eradicating the insects that excrete honeydew. Traditional insecticides can be used to control infestations; however, horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps are less toxic. The University of Florida IFAS Extension recommends applying horticultural oil sprays to Ixora plants once a week for five weeks to control pest populations.
