Question
I read one of the questions on her from another expert, that if you have fugus on your elephant plant that you can use lysol to kill the fugus. I had some genetric lysol, and spray the plant. Now, my plant leaves are turning black. Im so upset because they was so pretty. So my question is will my plant die??? I hope not.

Answer
Liz
Yes your plant may die....You should never use household cleaning products or other chemicals not formulated for use on plants...That's the problem with not researching a problem before doing something...It's also the problem with listening to non-experts on a subject (in this case Horticulture)...

The 1st thing you need to do to help save the plant is to wash & clean the foliage of the plant...Then start watering it correctly...Having a fungus on an Elephant foot plant (also called "ponytail" plant) is an indicator of improper watering...You want to make sure they go dry between waterings...They do rot out quickly if kept too wet...Water your plant based on how much it weighs when thoroughly watered VS when it is ready to be watered again...Plants die from too frequent waterings, not from how much water you give them at one time...Pick the pot up and feel how heavy it is after watering it thoroughly...Don't water it again until it feels considerably lighter and the top of the soil is light in color...Depending on plant types, sunlight exposure and pot size plants will need water at many different rates from once a day to once a month or more...

If you have any green leaves on the plant cut off the black leaves back to the trunk...If all leaves are black just leave 4-5 leaves at the very top...New growth will come from the center top area if the plant is still alive...

A good source for information on your plants is at your local garden center (not chain store)...You may have to visit more than one to find someone knowledgeable...

Hope this helps...Let me know what you think...
Rick in southern NJ