Hello everyone,

I have been struggling with saving a crassula ovata from an annoying white powdery fungus.
I guess the problem arrived when the previous owners misted it a couple of times during the winter. Then the leaves started having a white powdery coat, developing brown spots and dropping very quickly. Eventually it infected the stems as well.

Since we got it at our place, we sprayed it twice with water and soda bicarbonate (2 weeks apart), and dried it after a couple of hours. Now its sitting on a super sunny window, and at least it stopped getting much worse. I think much of the white lines on it now are from the bicarbonate, right?

However I am not sure if it will get any better and we would really like to save the plant. Do you recommend a fungicide? Or do you think its a bit too late? Should we maybe prune it? Try to replant one of the stems or similar?

Many thanks in advance!

Your Plant is Crassula Ovata 'Gollum', so I dont see any thing fungal at least to my eyes it just looks like mineral deposits. Can you describe the fungal issue in how it looked, was it like white spots? Was it spreading or localized to just select areas? Have you tried cutting into a stem or into a leaf you believe was infected and see any discoloration?

I just usually leave it outside to get as much sun and heat. Eventually it will drop all the damaged leaves, at that point, you can choose to prune some branches in case it is getting too uneven. As long as remaining branches/stem remains firm it will bounce back.

Leaving it outside also allows more continuous airflow all around it, so it helps in its recovery period. This would also be good time to check condition of the roots, and perhaps improve media by making it grittier and well draining.

I do not know if your summers are rainy or not, so if its too rainy later on position in an area with awning..my area is hotter and drier so they do recover faster staying outdoors, with nothing sprayed on them.

This past winter season was a bit terrible here too..my Crassula ovata got lots of fungal issues..but it is recovering now, shedding ugly damaged leaves and new leaf growth in active mode.
Photo last Feb 2022, if you look closely fungal spots everywhere..but new growth has likewise shown up, and lower leaves drying up, so plant redirects energy to new growth:


Crassula ovata 'Gollum'
also had similar problems..but it is thankfully recovering too as weather is now warming up much better. In the photo below when you look closely you will see the fungal spots in various areas. Main trunk is doing okay..quite fat and firm like a rock, no soft spot, so I am reassured it is enduring well even with those fungal issues.
Photo 06Mar2022


Just have to be very patient, at times it takes a slow time to adjust/acclimate itself again from ongoing seasonal.changes.

I'm late to reply here but I would like to add a few comments.

Whatever you sprayed on the plant should be washed off, in a definitive way. Take a few minutes with a spray bottle next time you water the plant and go it at from all angles with plain water. And do your best to make sure it dries out soon afterward.

This will give you a baseline to judge if the accumulation you've seen is chemical or fungal in nature, and whether it spreads. You will have to revisit the plant (check it each time when you water) to know that.

The usual prescriptions for fungal issues often relate more to prevention than treatment. You want to make sure light is not limiting, and also see what you can do to improve air flow. Strong light, warmth, and good air flow are all helpful there.

As for encouraging strong growth and a more compact form, it would be best if you could provide the maximum possible amount of light if this is an indoor plant. Find a spot right in front of your sunniest southerly facing window. The plant should "see" the sun for hours a day, year round, with no curtains or blinds in the way. With good light and regular water (waiting for the soil to go nearly dry each time) the plant should outgrow whatever crankiness it seems to be displaying right now. Do not move it outside into full sun if it's been in a protected indoor location or you may shock it into oblivion; give it a week or two in bright shade (no direct outdoor sun) or filtered light instead.

Here by way of illustration is a picture I took exactly 12 years ago today.



This is what you get when you turn the light up all the way (here in full sun, outdoors).