I'm a beginner & got a Brazilian Rain Tree couple of months ago. Growth is really vigorous & the plant is my balcony with indirect sunlight (through shade net as direct sunlight may scorch the leaves due to the tropic climate). I've been feeding NPK fertilizer once 15 days & water whenever soil is about to dry. Despite all, the new growth seems to have some kind of nutrient deficiency where the veins are visible which I suspect might be due to Iron Chlorosis... Since I'm new to BRT, any suggestion/solution from experts or anyone who has faced this would be really valuable. Thank you in advance
Brazilian Raintree nutrient deficiency
- Thread starter aaronward
- Start date
SWfloirda
Chumono
Those leaves look normal to me. I keep my BRTs in full sun here in Florida, they’re tropical trees they can take full sun.
LittleDingus
Omono
Read the label on your fertilizer and see if it includes trace minerals. Many do not.
You're looking for things like molybdenum, manganese, zinc plus many others...but if you see those 3 it has them.
If you are growing in pure non-organic soil, you'll want to use a fertilizer with the trace elements. Iron and manganese in particular help plants manufacture chlorophyl.
Epsom salts are a good supplement if you current fertilizer is missing trace elements. Just remember "trace elements". You don't need much.
You're looking for things like molybdenum, manganese, zinc plus many others...but if you see those 3 it has them.
If you are growing in pure non-organic soil, you'll want to use a fertilizer with the trace elements. Iron and manganese in particular help plants manufacture chlorophyl.
Epsom salts are a good supplement if you current fertilizer is missing trace elements. Just remember "trace elements". You don't need much.
trigo
Mame
People usually mistakes BRTs native biome and think that it does not like sun... it's the exact opposite. The name Brazilian Rain Tree is kind of misleading, there are no Chloroleucon Tortum (BRT) on the Amazon Rainforest, it lives on the Micro biome called Restinga on the Atlantic Forest on the coast of Brazil. It grows mostly on sandy soil, really likes water as it rains almost everyday on the restinga, but it's fully exposed to the scorching Brazilian tropical sun, because most of the vegetation on the restinga is sparse and low growing.
BRTs also kind of Self regulates, when it's too hot or to windy it close the leaves to stop dehydration. So give as much sun as you can, if it gets too hot it wil close the leaves. And yes, your leaves does not look like mine, new growth is lighter lime green, but with 2 weeks or so it gets really deep darker green, the grow really fast so they need more fertilizer than most other plants on my bench.
I have collected 2 yamadori BRTs directly from the restinga, on the restinga you find them really twisted, with lots of deadwood and crazy movement, more close to an yamadori juniper than those broom styles people tend to make with cuttings.
BRTs also kind of Self regulates, when it's too hot or to windy it close the leaves to stop dehydration. So give as much sun as you can, if it gets too hot it wil close the leaves. And yes, your leaves does not look like mine, new growth is lighter lime green, but with 2 weeks or so it gets really deep darker green, the grow really fast so they need more fertilizer than most other plants on my bench.
I have collected 2 yamadori BRTs directly from the restinga, on the restinga you find them really twisted, with lots of deadwood and crazy movement, more close to an yamadori juniper than those broom styles people tend to make with cuttings.
LittleDingus
Omono
@aaronward if you go into your profile you can add a nearby major metro and a grow zone that will show up under your avatar and held the world-wide community understand your climate a little better.
From experience, my BRTs did quite well in full Kansas City sun. They needed more water in the heat...but they grew vigorously!
A precaution: when I first move mine outside after the winter, the existing leaves will often sunburn. Heck, I've even sunburned my saguaro moving it outside in the spring. BRTs have this habit of throwing off their old leaves and growing a new set when their growing conditions change. Mine would do it moving outside in the spring and sometimes do it again moving inside in the fall.
I find this guide:
landresources.montana.edu
useful for identifying nutrient deficiencies. It takes some experience to get comfortable discerning the different types...usually easier to either make sure your fertilizer includes trace elements or supplement occasionally with epsom salts. They don't need a lot but in-organic soils usually don't have any.
It's also worth noting that pH can have an outsized impact on trace element uptake. If you have very basic or very acidic water, the plants may not be able to absorb some nutrients effectively.
From experience, my BRTs did quite well in full Kansas City sun. They needed more water in the heat...but they grew vigorously!
A precaution: when I first move mine outside after the winter, the existing leaves will often sunburn. Heck, I've even sunburned my saguaro moving it outside in the spring. BRTs have this habit of throwing off their old leaves and growing a new set when their growing conditions change. Mine would do it moving outside in the spring and sometimes do it again moving inside in the fall.
I find this guide:
Nutrient Deficiencies - MSU Extension Soil Fertility | Montana State University
landresources.montana.edu
useful for identifying nutrient deficiencies. It takes some experience to get comfortable discerning the different types...usually easier to either make sure your fertilizer includes trace elements or supplement occasionally with epsom salts. They don't need a lot but in-organic soils usually don't have any.
It's also worth noting that pH can have an outsized impact on trace element uptake. If you have very basic or very acidic water, the plants may not be able to absorb some nutrients effectively.
