Jade Plane - leaf fungus?

[mvona]

Dear Gardeners,
My wife has been taking care of our Jade plants. We have two plants: one quite large and another smaller one. We are in the Buffalo, New York area and it is the end of a long dark winter. The leaves on the smaller plant have developed what looks like a fungus. Can any one identify this from the picture I've attached? Thank You for any help, Mark in Derby, NY

 

[cpp gardener]

Maybe a picture of the whole plant and some info on care. Lighting, watering, air circulation, temperatures, humidity. Whatever you can think of about how you care for them.

 

[oneeye]

Hello friend. It can be one of 3 things. Take a magnifier loop and get a good look at the top and bottom of the leaves and make sure it's not a pest infestation.

Water management. Hard water or over-fertilization can lead to mineral buildup on the leaves, which appears as white spots or residue. The plant pushes the impurities out of the leaves. Use distilled, filtered, or rainwater for watering, and ensure proper drainage to prevent salt buildup.

Water management. Since Jade plant is a succulent you need to be careful not to over water the plant. If the soil stays wet it can cause powder mildew on the leaves. Let the top soil dry before watering.

 

[mvona]

Dear Oneeye,

Thanks for the options given. We don't think it's pests- The leaves have no milky residue or weblike substance. And we let them dry out before watering - that's pretty easy to do as the heat is on all the time and the house is overly dry. The hard water mineral build up is a possibility. Will start using filtered water to see if we get an improvement. We don't want to let the plants go as they are finally large, well shaped plants. They're attractive. mark

 

[cpp gardener]

More pictures and info?
The whole plants and pots, the stem at the base, healthy leaves if there are any, closeup of leaves on the plant.
Some description of care you’ve given them, lighting, watering, feeding, spraying, inside/outside, whatever you think of that can tell a bit about what’s happening.