Diagnostic Reference · Building 1411
Problem Diagnosis Index
Of 2,703 documented houseplant cases, Watering Issues account for 158 — making them the most common diagnostic category. Root Rot alone appears in 89 cases, more than any other single problem. Pest infestations show up in 110 cases, with spider mites and mealybugs leading at 34 and 30 cases respectively.
Every diagnosis below is sourced from our research database — peer-reviewed literature, verified case studies, and community-documented outcomes. Not recycled care tips.
Not sure what's wrong?
Tell us the symptom — we'll narrow it down to the most likely cause, ranked by confidence score.
Top 10 Most Diagnosed
Most affected: Anthurium (3), Succulent (3), Peperomia (3)
Most affected: Money Tree (4), Jade Plant (3), Peace Lily (3)
Most affected: Fiddle Leaf Fig (3), Pilea Peperomioides (3), Calathea (3)
Most affected: Succulent (3), Pothos (2), Peace Lily (2)
Most affected: Pothos (2), Air Plant (2), Zz Plant (2)
Most affected: Philodendron (2), Rubber Plant (2), Monstera Deliciosa (2)
Most affected: Snake Plant (2), Boston Fern (2), Spider Plant (2)
Most affected: Air Plant (2), Zz Plant (2), Pilea Peperomioides (2)
Most affected: Fiddle Leaf Fig (2), Pothos (2), Philodendron (2)
Most affected: Peace Lily (3), Dieffenbachia (3), Jade Plant (2)
Symptom Index
18 problems · 404 documented cases
Symptom Index
18 problems · 404 documented casesSee a symptom? Start here. Symptoms are signals, not diagnoses — yellow leaves alone can indicate overwatering, underwatering, nitrogen deficiency, or natural aging. This index maps 18 common symptoms to their underlying causes across 404 documented cases.
Money Tree (4), Jade Plant (3), Peace Lily (3)
Fiddle Leaf Fig (3), Pilea Peperomioides (3), Calathea (3)
Snake Plant (2), Boston Fern (2), Spider Plant (2)
Air Plant (2), Zz Plant (2), Pilea Peperomioides (2)
Peace Lily (3), Dieffenbachia (3), Jade Plant (2)
Fiddle Leaf Fig (4), Indoor Citrus (2), Begonia Maculata (2)
Pilea Peperomioides (3), Calathea (3), Pothos (2)
Succulent (2), Echeveria (2), Cactus (2)
Jade Plant (1), Zz Plant (1), Spider Plant (1)
Begonia (2), Calathea (2), Boston Fern (1)
Jade Plant (2), Zz Plant (2), Hydrangea (1)
Fiddle Leaf Fig (3), Air Plant (1), Monstera Deliciosa (1)
Zz Plant (2), Alocasia (1), Pothos (1)
Fiddle Leaf Fig (1), Air Plant (1), Pink Princess (1)
Philodendron (1), Nerve Plant (1), Monstera Deliciosa (1)
Ficus Elastica (1), Succulent (1), Rubber Plant (1)
Spider Plant (1), Calathea (1), Philodendron (1)
Snake Plant (1)
+1 more problems coming soon
Watering Issues
5 problems · 158 documented cases
Watering Issues
5 problems · 158 documented casesThe single largest diagnostic category in our dataset: 158 documented cases across 5 distinct problems. Most cases trace to one of two root causes — pot drainage failures or schedule misjudgment relative to season. root rot leads at 89 cases.
Anthurium (3), Succulent (3), Peperomia (3)
Pothos (2), Air Plant (2), Zz Plant (2)
Succulent (2), Peace Lily (1), Spanish Moss (1)
Calathea (2), Air Plant (1), Monstera Deliciosa (1)
Tradescantia (1)
Environmental
14 problems · 151 documented cases
Environmental
14 problems · 151 documented cases151 cases linked to environmental factors — light, temperature, humidity, and seasonal transitions. These are the silent killers: gradual enough that owners often misattribute the symptoms to watering or pests.
Succulent (3), Pothos (2), Peace Lily (2)
Calathea (2), Anthurium (2), Snake Plant (1)
Boston Fern (2), Anthurium (2), Calathea (2)
Peace Lily (2), Philodendron (2), Boston Fern (1)
Calathea (2), Monstera Deliciosa (1), Boston Fern (1)
Fruiting Indoor (2), Snake Plant (1), Boston Fern (1)
Snake Plant (1), Anthurium (1), Cactus (1)
Succulent (2), Caladium (1), Alocasia (1)
Cactus (1), Succulent (1)
Fruiting Indoor (1)
Tradescantia (1)
Air Plant (1)
Fruiting Indoor (1)
Air Plant (1)
+4 more problems coming soon
Diseases
6 problems · 131 documented cases
Diseases
6 problems · 131 documented cases131 disease cases across 6 pathogen types. Unlike pests, diseases are often systemic by the time symptoms appear — making prevention and early environmental management critical.
Anthurium (3), Succulent (3), Peperomia (3)
Scindapsus Treubii (3), Dieffenbachia (2), Boston Fern (1)
Begonia (2), Strawberry (1), Rose (1)
Rubber Plant (2), Syngonium (1), Money Tree (1)
Monstera Deliciosa (1), Pothos (1)
Pothos (1)
Pests
8 problems · 110 documented cases
Pests
8 problems · 110 documented cases110 pest cases documented across 8 species of pest or parasite. spider mites and mealybugs are the most frequently diagnosed, at 34 and 30 cases respectively. Early identification is the single highest-leverage intervention — most pest damage becomes irreversible after 2–3 weeks.
Fiddle Leaf Fig (2), Pothos (2), Philodendron (2)
Cactus (3), Pothos (2), Jade Plant (2)
Pothos (2), Monstera Deliciosa (2), Calathea (2)
Pothos (2), Boston Fern (1), Parlor Palm (1)
Cast Iron Plant (1), Boston Fern (1), Indoor Lemon (1)
Strawberry (1), Rose (1), Anthurium (1)
Bird Of Paradise (2), Indoor Citrus (1), Hoya (1)
String Of Pearls (1), Snake Plant (1)
+2 more problems coming soon
Advanced Rescue
4 problems · 38 documented cases
Advanced Rescue
4 problems · 38 documented cases38 cases requiring intervention beyond standard care adjustments. These protocols cover structural damage, severe decline, and last-resort recovery techniques documented across 4 rescue scenarios.
Pothos (2), Alocasia (2), Bird Of Paradise (2)
Pothos (2), Orchid (2), Bird Of Paradise (2)
Calathea (1), Bird Of Paradise (1), Alocasia (1)
Orchid (1), Pothos (1), Calathea (1)
+3 more problems coming soon
Pot Issues
6 problems · 21 documented cases
Pot Issues
6 problems · 21 documented cases21 cases linked to pot selection — size, material, and drainage. The most common mistake: keeping a plant in the nursery pot too long after purchase.
Philodendron (1), Jade Plant (1), Blueberry (1)
Succulent (3), Hoya (1)
Blueberry (1), Cactus (1), Succulent (1)
Snake Plant (1), Monstera Deliciosa (1), Succulent (1)
Succulent (1)
Boston Fern (1)
+2 more problems coming soon
Soil Issues
4 problems · 14 documented cases
Soil Issues
4 problems · 14 documented cases14 cases traced to substrate composition, pH, or drainage failures. Soil is the most under-diagnosed category — owners focus on what they do (watering, light) and overlook what the roots sit in.
Orchid (2), Peace Lily (1), Ficus Elastica (1)
Blueberry (1), Cast Iron Plant (1), Peace Lily (1)
Succulent (1)
Succulent (1)
+5 more problems coming soon
Latest from the Dataset
Watering issues account for 158 cases — 6% of all diagnoses
Root Rot is the single most diagnosed problem at 89 cases
Top pest threats: spider mites (34 cases) and mealybugs (30 cases)
14 environmental factors tracked across 151 documented cases
Go Deeper
From diagnosis to mastery
This index identifies the problem. Our Mastery Packs give you the full protocol — species-specific care systems built from the same diagnostic data, with prevention strategies so you never see these problems again.
Browse Mastery Packs →