Nutrient Deficiency
Nutrient Abiotic disorder
Last updated
This profile contains basic abiotic disorder data. Regional field notes and expert review are in progress.
What Causes It
Plants require at least 14 mineral elements for normal growth. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur are needed in macronutrient quantities; iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron, molybdenum, chlorine, and nickel are micronutrients. When any of these is unavailable in sufficient quantity the plant cannot complete the metabolic functions that depend on it, and characteristic deficiency symptoms develop. The shortage is usually caused by soil chemistry making the nutrient unavailable (pH lockout, antagonism between ions) rather than by a true absence in the soil. Nitrogen is phloem-mobile so deficiency symptoms appear on older leaves first; iron is not mobile so its deficiency shows on new growth. Magnesium is mobile and shows on older leaves; calcium is not mobile and shows on new tissue. Knowing the mobility of each nutrient makes deficiency symptoms easier to diagnose. [VERIFY] This is standard horticultural reference; HFG library does not document nutrient deficiency comprehensively.
Quick Reference
Symptoms
Nitrogen: uniform pale green to yellow color starting on oldest leaves, reduced growth, pale new foliage. Phosphorus: dull dark green or reddish purple tint on older leaves, stunted growth. Potassium: marginal scorch on older leaves, weak stems, poor winter hardiness. Magnesium: interveinal chlorosis on older leaves with green veins still visible. Iron: interveinal chlorosis on youngest leaves with green veins, often progressing to nearly white leaves (see iron-chlorosis profile). Manganese: interveinal chlorosis similar to iron but affecting mid-age leaves and with narrower green vein bands. Calcium: tip burn on new growth, blossom end rot on fruits, distorted new leaves. Boron: terminal bud death, rosetted new growth, hollow stems. Sulfur: uniform yellowing similar to nitrogen but starting on new growth. The mobility of each nutrient determines whether older or younger leaves show symptoms first. [VERIFY]
Age pattern of affected leaves (old vs young) narrows the list of candidate nutrients to those with matching mobility. Vein vs interveinal pattern further narrows the field. Soil or foliar tissue analysis is the reliable discriminator and should be used before any corrective fertilization on chronic cases.
Timeline: Chronic: develops over weeks to months as the plant depletes reserves of the missing nutrient. Symptoms often first appear during flushes of active growth when demand is highest.
Triggers & Conditions
Soil pH outside the range where the nutrient is available (most nutrients are most available between pH 6 and 7; exceptions include iron, manganese, and zinc which are more available at lower pH and less available at higher pH). Antagonism between ions (high potassium suppresses magnesium uptake; high phosphorus suppresses iron and zinc). Leaching of mobile nutrients from sandy soils by heavy rainfall. Root damage or compaction restricting uptake. Intensive cropping without replenishment. Cold wet soils slowing root function in spring. [VERIFY]
Active growth flushes, particularly spring. Newly planted and heavily cropped plants are most vulnerable.
Native Puget Sound soils are typically acidic, moderately fertile, and relatively low in phosphorus on forested sites. The most common nutrient deficiencies locally are (1) nitrogen on lawns and annual beds, reliable and easy to correct, (2) iron chlorosis on rhododendrons and blueberries planted near concrete foundations (see iron-chlorosis profile), (3) magnesium deficiency on sandy soils and on intensively cropped vegetable beds, (4) sulfur deficiency occasionally on alkaline fill soils after construction, and (5) manganese and boron deficiencies on alkaline or high-organic-matter sites. Soil testing through a local lab (WSU Puyallup, King Conservation District) is the reliable path to accurate diagnosis; guessing from symptoms alone is often misleading. [VERIFY]
Management
Prevention
- Test soil before planting and periodically thereafter
- Maintain soil pH appropriate to plant species
- Use organic matter to build soil fertility and buffer nutrient supply
Mitigation
- Apply targeted nutrient corrections based on soil test
Select species suited to existing soil chemistry. Amend beds with compost and organic matter at establishment. Group plants with similar fertility requirements together for easier management.
Plant Tolerance
All landscape plants can develop nutrient deficiencies on unsuitable sites. Heavy-feeding species (roses, hydrangeas, vegetables, fruit trees) show symptoms fastest. Calcifuge species (rhododendrons, blueberries, azaleas) show iron deficiency on alkaline sites.
More Tolerant
- Native species on their native soil types
- Nitrogen-fixing legumes and actinorhizal plants (alder, Ceanothus)
More Sensitive
- Heavy-feeding annuals and perennials
- Fruit trees and small fruits
- Intensively cropped vegetable beds
- Calcifuges on alkaline soils (iron deficiency specifically)
Soil pH, soil organic matter content, mycorrhizal associations, root system depth, species adaptation to native soil fertility, and demand profile of the species.
Secondary Effects
Chronic deficiency weakens plants and predisposes them to secondary pests and pathogens.
Severe deficiency can cause bud death, fruit abortion, and whole-plant decline.