Spider Mites

The most likely cause of damage that looks like this on many plants is spider mites. They are sucking insects and cause white mottled stippling on the top of the foliage when a plant is typically stressed. These critters aren’t really spiders although they are related to them. They are very hard to see, but the underside of infested foliage often looks dusty, sticky, and vaguely web-like and dirty. You can read more about spider mites and how to control them here: http://bit.ly/1pJ46WX You can also go to your local garden center and ask for an organic or other recommended control for spider mites that is appropriate for your plant and then use the product according to directions. If you don’t see the stippling on the tops of the leaves, it is possible it is just normal coloring, but spider mites are very common on houseplants that have been subjected to the dry indoor air of a northern winter.