Physical Factors that Can Produce Plant Damage

Plant damage can be caused by non-living factors such as physical (environmental), mechanical, or chemical. Of these three, physical factors involve the plant being exposed to extremes such as temperature, oxygen, moisture, and light. To make an accurate assessment about physical factors causing plant damage, weather patterns need to be observed along with plant damage patterns.

Extreme Hot Temperature

Early afternoon is when the temperature is the highest to cause damage to leaves that are exposed to the southwest corner of the sky. Leaves that are the farthest from the plants source of water, such as the root and stem system are also susceptible to heat damage. The leaf tip, its outer perimeter, and inter-venial areas are the most vulnerable, and these areas will show a pattern of damage over all plants in the area.

Extreme Cold Temperature

Damage due to extreme cold temperature occurs in plants, which are least hardy. Cold hardiness starts at the terminal buds and works its way downward to the lower plant regions, which is why frost in the fall will cause more permanent damage to the root system of a plant than its leaves. Whereas in the spring the opposite occurs in that roots are less susceptible to extreme colds such as early frost damage or daily temperature fluctuations than the leaves, as the leaves warm-up first. Examining the root balls for damage such as blackness or spongy roots, and new growth in the spring will help determine a pattern of damage. Also consulting the USDA hardiness zones will help prevent the gardener from planting plants that just will not tolerate less hardy areas.

Extreme Oxygen

Oxygen, along with moisture, is key elements to the plants root system. Oxygen deficiencies result from moisture saturation of the root environment, which can also prevent water and nutrients from getting to other parts of the plant that are above ground. As drought can also produce the same aboveground symptoms, close observation is needed. Watch for the leaves that separate from the plant at the leaf stem, and wilting or necrosis on the tips of leaves

Extreme Light