Common Plant Problems: Yellowing Leaves

Yellow leaves are a plant’s distress signal. Here’s how you should leap into action.

Think of your plant’s color as something of a stoplight system: green leaves are your cue that all is well, but yellowing leaves are a signal to slow down and assess the situation. If you need to help your plant restore its healthy hue, here’s how to get started.

Knowing the Signs

Leaves can turn yellow for any number of reasons — think overwatering, pests or plain old aging — and each will present a little differently. You may see:

• One or two fully yellow leaves
• Multiple leaves turning yellow, either at the edges or all over
• Yellow and brown spots in the center of leaves, sometimes accompanied by translucent leaf edges
• Pests, like mealybugs or spider mites, on the leaves

Treating Your Plant for Yellow Leaves

Once you’ve spotted a yellow leaf, it’s time to inspect your plant and determine what it’s trying to tell you. Often, new growth turning yellow or developing translucent edges are the first signs of overwatering.

• Remove your plant from its pot by turning it on its side, gently gripping the plant’s base and pulling. Shake the roots to remove loose dirt so you can see the roots more easily.
• If the roots are brown and mushy, your plant is suffering from root rot, a condition caused by overwatering. Not all plants recover from this, but if the roots appear mostly healthy (white and firm), it’s worth a shot at saving your plant. Rinse the roots under running water and cut away any dead, mushy roots above the rotted area. Replant in new, dry soil with better drainage.
• If you notice pests infesting your plant, carefully research how to remove them. Check in on your plant regularly after treatment to ensure it was effective, and prune away any leaves that were fully yellowed by damage from the bugs.
• If your plant is pest-free with happy, healthy roots, a few yellowed leaves may just be a sign of your plant aging. It’s letting its oldest leaves go so it can produce newer, healthier growth. Simply prune away the yellowing foliage.