Wilting Scaevola

Environmental Conditions

• Scaevola is native to Australia, so it thrives in hot, sunny summer weather. Where other plants wilt from stress in the heat, scaevola is probably not wilting from the weather unless it's badly in need of a drink. Touch the soil to see if it feels bone dry, and if so, water your plant.

Root Rot

• Scaevola that's been kept too wet can contract root rot. The plant leaves wilt above ground, as the roots begin to rot underground. If the plant's soil feels watery or your scaevola sits in standing water, chances are high it has root rot. Allow the plant to dry out thoroughly in between watering to prevent root damage. If your plant already has root rot, remove water if possible and let the soil dry out. Your plant may recover. You can treat root rot with a fungicide, but it will only slow the plant's decline because it can't improve affected tissue.

Phosphorous Exposure

• Scaevola's Australian heritage left the plant highly sensitive to phosphorous, a nutrient that is lacking in Australian soils. The plant evolved to suck up as much phosphorous as possible. If you plant your scaevola in a phosphorous-rich soil or fertilize it with a phosphorous-rich compound, the plant will literally overdose on this nutrient and die, with leaf wilting and browning. Check fertilizers before you apply them, or have your soil tested to avoid giving the plant too much phosphorous.

Diseases and Pest

• Insect pests can cause leaf distortion and wilting, but don't commonly feed on this plant. It's highly unlikely that insects are the cause of scaevola leaf wilt. Likewise, scaevola does not contract many bacterial or fungal diseases that would wilt leaves. The main disease to watch out for is root rot.