Why Is Joseph’s Coat Dying? Tips for Rescuing Your Dying Amaranthaceae

The startling colors of purple, pink, yellow, and green in the Joseph’s coat plant make it a perfect outdoor plant to bring inside.

While it requires a bit of finesse to maintain appropriate moisture and humidity, it does not have to be a difficult plant to maintain.

Still, if you find your Joseph’s coat seems to be dying, there are plenty of approaches to nurse it back to life.

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A Joseph’s Coat Plant Is a Great Choice for Your Home or Office

The Aramanthaceae is a lovely addition to any home or office space.

It looks beautiful in a hanging basket in the window or in a planter box.

The Joseph’s coat plant goes well with other plants of vibrant color or with interesting leaves, or it can stand alone in a neutral-colored pot.

This plant can keep your air clean with its abundant verdant leaves and your mood lifted with its pretty pops of colors.

Signs of a Dying Joseph’s Coat Plant

If you are worried that your Joseph’s coat plant is dying, you may have noticed any of the following signs:

Excessively green leaves
Curled leaves
Leaves wilting or falling
Mold on soil
Leaves turning brown
Root rot
Bugs

Common Causes of a Dying Joseph’s Coat Plant

The most common cause of a dying Joseph’s coat plant is not enough light. Left with too little light, this lovely plant will first lose its vibrant color then wither away, retaining too much moisture and often developing root rot.

Other causes include:

Underwatering
Overwatering
Too much light
Pests

The Joseph’s coat is relatively easy to care for and maintain once you find your rhythm of watering and find it the right location to hang or sit in a nice bright window.

It’s all about understanding your plant.

Watering Needs of a Joseph’s Coat Plant

The Aramanthaceae needs about 1 inch of water per week, except during cooler months, when it will require less water and will likely lie dormant. Take a look at this article on watering mistakes that might be killing your plant.

To be sure your plant is well watered but not overwatered watered, learn to check its soil. Stick your fingers into the topsoil of the plant. If the top 1 inch is not fully dry, it is fine. If the soil has completely dried out, you can water it again.

With a Joseph’s coat, you want to prevent it from drying out, but not overwater it. You’re riding a fine line.

Am I Underwatering My Joseph’s Coat Plant?

Too little water for the Joseph’s coat plant will result in the leaves crisping and falling off.

Restoring Water to Your Underwatered Joseph’s Coat Plant

To restore your underwatered Joseph’s coat plant, simply water it until the water drains through to the bottom then put it back in a sunny spot in the window.

Be sure to check your plant frequently to stay on top of its water needs.

Am I Overwatering My Joseph’s Coat Plant?

The classic signs of overwatering are root rot and pests. You will notice your soil not drying out and pests starting to live in the soil in abundance.

Restoring Balance to Your Overwatered Joseph’s Coat Plant

If your soil is soggy, but you don’t notice mushy stems or leaves, you can simply place your Joseph’s coat in more direct light and well-circulated air.

If the soil seems to be forming mold on top or the stems appear mushy, you are likely dealing with root rot, and you will need to repot the plant.

To repot, simply remove the plant by its root ball from the pot and break the roots up, cutting off any mushy parts.

Then empty the pot of the old soil and replace it with fresh houseplant potting soil.

Place your root ball in the soil and cover it with more fresh soil. Water the plant and place it in direct sunlight in a window where it can stay warm and moist but also have enough light to dry out.

Then maintain an appropriate watering schedule.

Soil Needs of a Joseph’s Coat Plant

The Joseph’s coat plant wants a well-drained, nutrient-rich houseplant soil.

Soil Drainage Needs for a Joseph’s Coat Plant

If you notice your Joseph’s coat plant is not draining well, make sure it is getting plenty of light and that it is in a pot with plenty of drainage opportunities.

Resolving Soil Drainage Issues for a Joseph’s Coat Plant

You may need to change the plant to a new pot or place it in a brighter window.

Another option is to place pebbles in the bottom of the pot to resolve drainage issues.

Lighting Needs of a Joseph’s Coat Plant

The Joseph’s coat plant requires plenty of direct sunlight for many hours and a humid environment.

Don’t worry about knowing if your plant is getting enough light. It will give you plenty of signs if it isn’t, like the leaves turning excessively green.

Too much light will also result in crisping leaves.

Resolving Lighting Issues for a Joseph’s Coat Plant

Resolving lighting issues simply requires relocating the plant.

If you notice the leaves are turning extra green and not displaying their color, move the plant to a sunnier window, maybe facing in a different direction.

If you see the leaves crisping, you can move it a bit farther away from the window.

Pests or Diseases that Can Cause Issues with a Joseph’s Coat Plant

The Joseph’s coat plant is not particularly prone to pests, but if your soil gets soggy, you may find spider mites, aphids, mealy bugs, white flies, black flies, and vine weevils attracted to the molding soil and undersides of the leaves.

To rid your plant of pests, resolve the watering issues first, usually by repotting, then spray liberally with neem oil.

Fake Joseph’s Coat Plants Are an Additional Consideration

In the end, if you find the Joseph’s coat plant is just too hard to care for, you can always opt for an artificial version of this pretty plant.

Because it is so interesting and unusual looking, a high-quality Joseph’s coat plant, even an artificial one, will make a great addition to your home or office space.

Wondering if fake plants are trendy right now? Check out my article on whether artificial plants and flowers are tacky here.

Do you have a Joseph’s coat plant you’ve nursed back to life? What worked for you? Leave your tips and tricks in the comment section below.