Vietnamese Coriander Wilting Leaves
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Frits Scheltema
Posted on: January 14, 1999

I would like to know why my Vietnamese coriander has wilting leaves. I had the same problem last year and check the moisture with a moisture meter and keep it moist. The plant faces west with plenty of light on the window sill.

Vietnamese coriander is a swamp plant and likes rich, moist to wet soil. Your moisture meter would be calibrated for ordinary plants and might cause you to keep the plant a bit too dry.

Also when the plant gets older, the roots tend to form a dense mat making it hard for water to get into the soil. Repotting into a larger pot with rich fresh medium would be a help if this is the problem with your plant.

The plant likes sun to half shade and perhaps your window is too hot and dry for part of the year. Try keeing the plant a bit shadier and cooler and see if that solves the problem.

Lastly, this plant is susceptible to a fungus that discolours the leaves in shades of orange and beige before causing the leaves to die. The leaves would wilt before dying. If this seems to be the problem, then increase air movement and don’t get any water on the leaves when watering. Pull off any discoloured leaves-and eat them- the fungus does not hurt us! A spray with flower of sulphur would also be a good idea.

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