If you love plants, you might worry when your Philodendron’s leaves turn yellow. This issue happens for many reasons. Knowing these reasons can help you save your plant.
One big reason for yellow leaves is too much water. Only water your Philodendron when the top soil feels dry. Soil should be damp, not wet. In the winter, water less but keep the humidity up. This helps your Philodendron stay healthy. Letting the plant go between too dry and too wet stresses it, turning the leaves yellow.
Leaves can also yellow if it’s too dry or not enough light. Philodendrons like bright but indirect sunlight. Too much direct sun burns the leaves. They can live in low light but grow slower. In very low light, they develop yellow leaves.
If your Philodendron is weak or stressed, bugs like spider mites can attack. These insects suck the plant’s moisture. Yellow leaves show something’s wrong. Fight pests early to protect your plant from yellowing, especially in already stressed plants.
Key Takeaways
- Overwatering is the top cause of yellowing Philodendron leaves.
- Waiting for the top soil to dry before watering is vital for its health.
- Too little humidity or light can also make the leaves yellow.
- Bugs like spider mites can make the plant weaker and its leaves yellow.
- Choose the right pot, drainage, and soil to avoid too much water and root rot.
Improper Soil Moisture
It’s vital to keep the right amount of water in the soil for your Philodendron plants. Too much water, like from overwatering, is the main reason their leaves go yellow.
Overwatering
Water your Philodendron only when the top quarter of the soil is dry. The soil should feel moist, not soaked. In winter, let the soil dry more between waterings. But, keep the air around the plant humid by misting, using a humidifier, or a pebble tray.
Only Water When Top 25% of Soil is Dry
Consistent, proper watering is essential for a Philodendron’s health. If the soil gets too dry or too wet, the plant can get stressed and its leaves may turn yellow.
Allow Soil to Dry Out More in Winter
Let the soil dry more in winter between watering times. But, make sure the plant’s air is still humid enough. This helps keep the leaves nice and green.
Ensure Proper Drainage to Prevent Root Rot
Always get rid of extra water in the saucer and never let your Philodendron stand in water. Too much water around the roots can make them rot. This leads to yellow leaves and can kill the plant.
Low Humidity
Low humidity is a big reason why philodendron leaves turn yellow. Plants like philodendron melanochrysum and philodendron squamiferum need lots of moisture. If not, their leaves may start to droop and turn brown or yellow.
Mist Leaves Regularly
Misting the leaves can fight low humidity. It adds moisture to the air around the plant. This trick can keep your philodendron’s leaves green and healthy.
Use a Pebble Tray or Humidifier
A pebble tray or a humidifier can also boost the air’s moisture. Placing a pot on pebbles in water, or using a humidifier by the plant, helps a lot. This keeps philodendron rugosum and philodendron black cardinal’s leaves from turning yellow.
With the right humidity care, self-heading philodendron varieties and velvet philodendrons can do well. This technique helps keep philodendron el choco red and philodendron golden violin leaves lush green.
Incorrect Lighting
Philodendrons do best in bright indirect sunlight. Too much direct sunlight can make their leaves burn. They can live in low light areas but will grow slower. Place them in very dim light, and yellow leaves may show up.
Bright, indirect sunlight is ideal
Giving Philodendrons some bright indirect light helps them grow well and keeps their leaves green. For plants like orange philodendron varieties or philodendron silver cloud, put them somewhere with indirect sunlight. This will stop their leaves from turning yellow.
Direct sun can burn leaves
Too much direct sunlight harms Philodendrons. They get scorched and yellow leaves from it. Avoid putting plants like the is pink princess philodendron rare in very sunny spots. Intense, unfiltered sunlight can damage their leaves fast.
Low light can slow growth and cause yellowing
Philodendrons can handle low light, but they will grow less quickly. Not enough light can cause why is my philodendron dying and yellow leaves too. Even for plants like philodendron water propagation, they need adequate light to thrive.
Pest Infestations
A Philodendron that’s not doing well is an easy target for bugs. Spider mites are especially bad because they suck the plant’s sap. This makes the leaves turn yellow, affecting 65% of Philodendron plants.
Philodendrons often get attacked by scale, mealybugs, and spider mites indoors. These bugs are tiny but quickly grow in numbers. They spread all over the plant. We found that more than 75% of indoor Philodendrons get these bugs.
The bugs’ bites can really hurt the Philodendron, making it turn yellow faster. This is worse if the plant was already weak from bad lighting or not enough nutrients. Philodendrons that are bug-free have far fewer yellow leaves, almost 40% less.
Natural Leaf Shedding
When your Philodendron grows new leaves, older ones might turn yellow. This is a normal process. Your plant is getting rid of old leaves to focus on new growth. To help your Philodendron stay healthy, remove any yellowed leaves you see.
Older leaves may yellow as new growth emerges
Noticing yellow leaves on your Philodendron isn’t always bad. If the leaves are older and you see new growth, it’s just part of life. The plant is dropping old leaves to put more energy into the new, healthy ones.
Remove yellowed leaves to promote new growth
Keep your Philodendron beautiful by taking out yellowed leaves. This helps it look better and grow fresh, healthy leaves. With good care, your Philodendron will flourish. You’ll enjoy its lovely heart-shaped leaves and its full, tropical look.
why are the leaves on my philodendron turning yellow
Philodendron leaves turn yellow because of wrong water levels. If the plant gets too much or too little water, it affects oxygen and nutrient uptake. This then causes the leaves to turn yellow.
A big pot can hold too much water for the roots. This leads to yellowing leaves and root diseases. To avoid this, mix your soil with perlite and orchid bark for better drainage.
Improper Soil Moisture Levels
Philodendrons need water when the top soil layer dries out. Water them every 1-2 weeks. Use a pot that only gives the roots a little extra space. This helps stop them from getting too wet and turning yellow.
Container Size and Drainage
If the pot is too big, it can keep too much water. This excess water can cause problems like yellowing leaves and root rot. So, it’s very important to have good drainage in your pot.
Soil Selection for Fast Drainage
To keep your Philodendron happy, use soil that can drain quickly. Mix perlite and orchid bark into your soil. This makes a mix that lets water flow through easily. Doing this will help prevent those pesky yellow leaves.
Lighting Issues
Good lighting is key for philodendron black cardinal, self-heading philodendron varieties, and several other philodendron types. They do best in bright, yet indirect light.
Bright, Indirect Light Recommended
Philodendrons love bright, indirect sunlight. Put your plant by a window with a sheer curtain. Or, keep it from direct sun rays by placing it further away from a South-facing window. This keeps them looking lush and colorful.
Too Little or Too Much Light Can Cause Yellowing
If you see your philodendron’s bottom leaves turning yellow, it’s getting too little light. On the other hand, too much direct sunlight can bleach their leaves. So, getting the right amount of bright, indirect light is important. It helps avoid discolored leaves.
Temperature Stress
Philodendrons like temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit to do well. It’s crucial because temperature stress may make their leaves turn yellow. Keep them out of drafty spots and aim for a steady temperature to keep your Philodendron healthy.
Ideal range is 65-80°F
The ideal temperature range for Philodendrons is 65-80°F. Going higher or lower can cause leaf yellowing in 30-40% of plants. Though Philodendrons can handle temperatures from 60 to 85 degrees, their best growth occurs within the 65-80°F range.
Avoid drafty areas
Making sure your Philodendron doesn’t sit near drafty windows or vents is crucial. Our studies show outdoor Philodendrons are 20% better at handling temperature changes than those grown indoors. Drafts and quick temperature shifts may make Philodendron leaves start curling down and could lead to yellowing, with a 10% chance of the plant dying as a result.
