Soft, mushy base (root rot): causes & fixes

Seeing soft, mushy base (root rot) on your houseplant? It is one of the most common indoor-plant complaints. Here is what usually causes it and how to put it right.

🪴Plants prone to this

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Snake Plant

Dracaena trifasciata

Toxic to pets Easy

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Air Plant

Tillandsia

Pet-safe Moderate

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Aloe Vera

Aloe vera

Toxic to pets Easy

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ZZ Plant

Zamioculcas zamiifolia

Toxic to pets Easy

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Jade Plant

Crassula ovata

Toxic to pets Easy

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Baby Rubber Plant (Peperomia)

Peperomia obtusifolia

Pet-safe Easy

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Spineless Yucca

Yucca gigantea

Toxic to pets Easy

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Ponytail Palm

Beaucarnea recurvata

Pet-safe Easy

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Echeveria

Echeveria elegans

Pet-safe Easy

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String of Pearls

Curio rowleyanus

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Zebra Haworthia

Haworthiopsis attenuata

Pet-safe Easy

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Flaming Katy

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana

Toxic to pets Easy

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Guzmania Bromeliad

Guzmania lingulata

Pet-safe Moderate

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Zebra Alocasia

Alocasia zebrina

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Dragon Scale Alocasia

Alocasia baginda 'Dragon Scale'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Silver Dragon Alocasia

Alocasia baginda 'Silver Dragon'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Black Velvet Alocasia

Alocasia reginula 'Black Velvet'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Mirror Plant (Red Secret)

Alocasia cuprea

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Alocasia Stingray

Alocasia macrorrhizos 'Stingray'

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Jewel Alocasia (Melo)

Alocasia melo

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Alocasia Pink Dragon

Alocasia 'Pink Dragon'

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Black Magic Alocasia

Alocasia infernalis 'Black Magic'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Philodendron Birkin

Philodendron 'Birkin'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Philodendron Gloriosum

Philodendron gloriosum

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Philodendron Xanadu

Thaumatophyllum xanadu

Toxic to pets Easy

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Satin Pothos

Scindapsus pictus

Toxic to pets Easy

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Moonlight Scindapsus

Scindapsus treubii 'Moonlight'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Mini Monstera

Rhaphidophora tetrasperma

Toxic to pets Easy

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Dragon Tail Plant

Rhaphidophora decursiva

Toxic to pets Easy

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Cebu Blue Pothos

Epipremnum pinnatum 'Cebu Blue'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Marble Queen Pothos

Epipremnum aureum 'Marble Queen'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Neon Pothos

Epipremnum aureum 'Neon'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Manjula Pothos

Epipremnum aureum 'Manjula'

Toxic to pets Easy

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N'Joy Pothos

Epipremnum aureum 'N'Joy'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Swiss Cheese Vine

Monstera adansonii

Toxic to pets Easy

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Silver Monstera

Monstera siltepecana

Toxic to pets Easy

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Monstera Peru

Monstera karstenianum

Toxic to pets Easy

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Shingle Plant

Monstera dubia

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Pink Syngonium

Syngonium podophyllum 'Neon Robusta'

Toxic to pets Easy

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White Butterfly Arrowhead

Syngonium podophyllum 'White Butterfly'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Bronze Arrowhead

Syngonium podophyllum 'Maria'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Sweetheart Hoya

Hoya kerrii

Pet-safe Easy

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Silver Pink Vine

Hoya pubicalyx

Pet-safe Easy

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Hoya linearis

Hoya linearis

Pet-safe Fussy

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Hoya obovata

Hoya obovata

Pet-safe Easy

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Fung Wax Flower

Hoya curtisii

Pet-safe Moderate

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Krimson Queen Hoya

Hoya carnosa 'Krimson Queen'

Pet-safe Moderate

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Hindu Rope Plant

Hoya carnosa 'Compacta'

Pet-safe Moderate

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Miniature Wax Plant

Hoya lanceolata subsp. bella

Pet-safe Moderate

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Wax Vine

Hoya wayetii

Pet-safe Easy

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Grass-leaved Hoya

Hoya retusa

Pet-safe Moderate

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String of Nickels

Dischidia nummularia

Pet-safe Moderate

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String of Turtles

Peperomia prostrata

Pet-safe Moderate

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String of Hearts

Ceropegia woodii

Pet-safe Easy

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String of Bananas

Curio radicans

Toxic to pets Easy

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Common Waxflower

Hoya australis

Pet-safe Easy

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Iron Cross Begonia

Begonia masoniana

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Escargot Begonia

Begonia rex 'Escargot'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Fireworks Rex Begonia

Begonia rex 'Fireworks'

Toxic to pets Fussy

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Cleopatra Begonia

Begonia 'Cleopatra'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Beefsteak Begonia

Begonia × erythrophylla

Toxic to pets Easy

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Watermelon Peperomia

Peperomia argyreia

Pet-safe Easy

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Emerald Ripple Peperomia

Peperomia caperata

Pet-safe Easy

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Peperomia Rosso

Peperomia caperata 'Rosso'

Pet-safe Easy

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Peperomia Hope

Peperomia 'Hope'

Pet-safe Easy

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Peperomia Frost

Peperomia caperata 'Frost'

Pet-safe Easy

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Happy Bean Peperomia

Peperomia ferreyrae

Pet-safe Easy

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Beetle Peperomia

Peperomia angulata

Pet-safe Easy

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Blue Star Fern

Phlebodium aureum

Pet-safe Easy

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Sago Palm

Cycas revoluta

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Cardboard Palm

Zamia furfuracea

Toxic to pets Easy

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Spineless Yucca

Yucca gigantea

Toxic to pets Easy

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Black Prince Echeveria

Echeveria 'Black Prince'

Pet-safe Easy

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Lipstick Echeveria

Echeveria agavoides

Pet-safe Easy

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Burro's Tail

Sedum morganianum

Pet-safe Moderate

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String of Buttons

Crassula perforata

Toxic to pets Easy

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Gollum Jade

Crassula ovata 'Gollum'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Ghost Plant

Graptopetalum paraguayense

Pet-safe Easy

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Lavender Pebbles

Graptopetalum amethystinum

Pet-safe Moderate

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Black Rose Aeonium

Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop'

Pet-safe Moderate

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String of Dolphins

Curio × peregrinus

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Blue Chalk Sticks

Curio repens

Toxic to pets Easy

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Living Stones

Lithops aucampiae

Pet-safe Fussy

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Ox Tongue

Gasteria bicolor

Pet-safe Easy

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Panda Plant

Kalanchoe tomentosa

Toxic to pets Easy

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Elephant Bush

Portulacaria afra

Pet-safe Easy

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Hen and Chicks

Sempervivum tectorum

Pet-safe Easy

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Desert Rose

Adenium obesum

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Jelly Bean Plant

Sedum rubrotinctum

Toxic to pets Easy

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Bunny Ears Cactus

Opuntia microdasys

Pet-safe Easy

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Golden Barrel Cactus

Echinocactus grusonii

Pet-safe Easy

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Moon Cactus

Gymnocalycium mihanovichii

Pet-safe Moderate

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Old Lady Cactus

Mammillaria hahniana

Pet-safe Easy

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Fairy Castle Cactus

Acanthocereus tetragonus

Pet-safe Easy

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Bishop's Cap Cactus

Astrophytum myriostigma

Pet-safe Moderate

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Star Cactus

Astrophytum asterias

Pet-safe Moderate

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Rat Tail Cactus

Aporocactus flagelliformis

Pet-safe Easy

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Fishbone Cactus

Epiphyllum anguliger

Pet-safe Easy

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Peanut Cactus

Echinopsis chamaecereus

Pet-safe Easy

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Pincushion Cactus

Mammillaria crinita

Pet-safe Easy

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Easter Cactus

Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri

Pet-safe Moderate

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San Pedro Cactus

Echinopsis pachanoi

Toxic to pets Easy

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Peruvian Apple Cactus

Cereus repandus

Pet-safe Easy

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Moth Orchid

Phalaenopsis amabilis

Pet-safe Easy

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Corsage Orchid

Cattleya labiata

Pet-safe Moderate

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Slipper Orchid

Paphiopedilum insigne

Pet-safe Moderate

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Blue Vanda

Vanda coerulea

Pet-safe Fussy

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Jewel Orchid

Ludisia discolor

Pet-safe Easy

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Venus Flytrap

Dionaea muscipula

Pet-safe Moderate

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Purple Pitcher Plant

Sarracenia purpurea

Pet-safe Moderate

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Yellow Trumpet Pitcher

Sarracenia flava

Pet-safe Moderate

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Round-leaved Sundew

Drosera rotundifolia

Pet-safe Moderate

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Mexican Butterwort

Pinguicula moranensis

Pet-safe Moderate

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Cobra Lily

Darlingtonia californica

Pet-safe Fussy

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Red Mangrove

Rhizophora mangle

Pet-safe Moderate

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Blushing Bromeliad

Neoregelia carolinae

Pet-safe Moderate

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Neoregelia Fireball

Neoregelia 'Fireball'

Pet-safe Moderate

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Urn Plant

Aechmea fasciata

Pet-safe Easy

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Amazonian Zebra Plant

Aechmea chantinii

Pet-safe Moderate

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Flaming Sword

Vriesea splendens

Pet-safe Moderate

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King of Bromeliads

Vriesea hieroglyphica

Pet-safe Moderate

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Earth Star

Cryptanthus bivittatus

Pet-safe Moderate

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Queen's Tears

Billbergia nutans

Pet-safe Easy

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Summer Torch

Billbergia pyramidalis

Pet-safe Easy

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Xerographica Air Plant

Tillandsia xerographica

Pet-safe Moderate

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Sky Plant

Tillandsia ionantha

Pet-safe Easy

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Bulbous Air Plant

Tillandsia bulbosa

Pet-safe Easy

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Medusa's Head Air Plant

Tillandsia caput-medusae

Pet-safe Easy

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Shirley Temple Air Plant

Tillandsia streptophylla

Pet-safe Moderate

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Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus

Pet-safe Moderate

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Thyme

Thymus vulgaris

Pet-safe Easy

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Oregano

Origanum vulgare

Toxic to pets Easy

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Sage

Salvia officinalis

Pet-safe Easy

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Moses-in-the-Cradle

Tradescantia spathacea

Toxic to pets Easy

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Iron Cross Plant

Oxalis tetraphylla

Toxic to pets Easy

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Red Aglaonema

Aglaonema 'Siam Aurora'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Dieffenbachia Camille

Dieffenbachia 'Camille'

Toxic to pets Easy

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Cape Primrose

Streptocarpus hybridus

Pet-safe Moderate

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Clivia

Clivia miniata

Toxic to pets Moderate

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Cyclamen

Cyclamen persicum

Toxic to pets Moderate

🩺Other common problems