What is Iron Chlorosis?
Iron chlorosis is a yellowing of newer plant growth caused by a lack of plant-available iron. Iron chlorosis gives the plant a light green to yellow appearance. Closer inspection of the plant reveals that the yellowing occurs between the veins of the leaf the veins remain green. This is called interveinal chlorosis and in Southern Nevada is a fairly reliable indication of an iron deficiency. As this condition worsens, leaves turn completely yellow, scorch on the edges and drop from the tree. If no action is taken, branches begin to die back and death can result. Other nutrient deficiencies can cause chlorosis, but they do not respond to iron sprays. The following simple test will deter-mine if iron chlorosis is the problem: fill a trigger spray bottle with iron sulfate (at one teaspoon per gallon) or iron chelate solutions and spray the plant. Leaves sprayed with iron will turn green in 24-48 hours. For reference, mark the sprayed branches with tape then, in several days, compare them
Just like people, trees can have nutrient deficiencies that lead to problems. The deficiency may cause the tree to exhibit predictable symptoms that the arborist can use to diagnose the problem. Other times testing and analysis may be required to determine the exact nature of the problem. Here is an example of a common nutrient deficiency. Many trees suffer from iron deficiency induced by poorly drained or compacted soils or by soils with a high calcium content. These soils are characterized by pH levels above 7.5. The unavailability or non-utilization of iron commonly causes a condition called iron chlorosis, and is characterized by yellow leaves, slow growth, and branch dieback. Pin oak and silver maple frequently show this condition. Chlorotic trees exhibit partial or complete yellowing of the leaves. The yellowing first occurs between the veins, leaving a network of darker green veins on a greenish-yellow background More severe symptoms include smaller than normal leaves that turn
Iron chlorosis is a disease in plants caused by an iron deficiency. There are a number of techniques which can be used to address and prevent this problem, and as long as iron chlorosis is treated early, plants do not usually experience any long term effects. Because nutrient deficiencies are an important concern for plants, it is important for gardeners to test their soil so that they know which nutrients their plants can access, and to amend the soil accordingly to prevent deficiencies. In iron chlorosis, a plant is not absorbing iron from the soil. This can be because the soil lacks iron, or because the soil is highly alkaline, in which case the plant has difficulty pulling the iron from the soil. The lack of iron inhibits chlorophyll development in the plant, causing the leaves to start to turn yellow. Iron chlorosis usually starts in one area and slowly spreads. It is highly noticeable, with the leaves first yellowing and then dying. If the condition is left untreated, eventually
