White Spots

Want to learn more about Plant Symptoms - White Spots (Oedema)

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WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?

If you see white spots on your plant, they may be mineral deposits or something called cystoliths. Mineral deposits are naturally occurring and are nothing to worry about. They're quite commonly seen on the rubber plant (Ficus elastica), Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) and Jade plant (Crassula ovata) as smooth white dots. Potential excretions from these dots can often be gently wiped off the leaf, but you don't have to in order for the plant to grow well.

These small dots can sometimes be mistaken for spider mites in color and size. While mites move on the leaves if looking closely, these are still and have a somewhat symmetrical and regular distribution on the leaf.

Cystoliths are the excretion of minerals through specialized cells called Lithocysts. Not all plants have these but those that do often excrete their minerals on the underside of their leaves as pale, whitish spots or hard droplets. This can be seen on some begonias and cissus species to name some.

None of these are necessarily harmful to the plant and doesn't have to mean there's some issue going on. It might be an indication the plant is grown in slightly higher humidity or that it's on the verge of being slightly overwatered, but not necessarily.