Has your statement houseplant lost its healthy green hue? These are the potential causes and how to prevent them
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Q: I have recently added an alocasia to my houseplant collection. It has large leaves, which are usually green, but some have quickly turned yellow in the last week or so. What should I do?
A: Alocasias are a type of elephant ear plant, and their statement leaves make them a popular tropical indoor plant. Over time, its natural for their fabulous foliage to turn yellow. But, it can also signal a problem, meaning something isnt quite right in their growing environment.
Knowing the causes of a change in color can help you tackle a yellowing elephant ear plant properly. Below, houseplant experts explain common reasons, from watering issues to aging plants.
Alocasias have eye-catching leaves( credit: Olga Ovcharenko / iStock / Getty s Plus / Getty s)
Yellow leaves on an elephant ear plant can be alarming, but don’t worry – with the right troubleshooting, you can get your plant back to its beautiful, vibrant self. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through all the potential causes of yellowing leaves on elephant ear plants and explain exactly how to fix them.
Overwatering and Underwatering Are The Most Common Culprits
Fluctuations in soil moisture are the leading cause of yellow leaves on elephant ear plants. Overwatering leads to root rot, which prevents the roots from taking up nutrients. Underwatering causes the leaves to dry out and yellow.
To troubleshoot, check the soil moisture. Stick your finger into the soil and if it’s soggy, you’re overwatering Allow the soil to dry out before watering again If it’s bone dry, you’re underwatering – water more frequently. Aim to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy.
Ensure the pot has drainage holes and use a well-draining soil mix containing perlite or bark to prevent overwatering.
Nutrient Deficiencies Also Cause Yellowing
Yellow leaves can also be caused by deficiencies in key nutrients like nitrogen, magnesium, or potassium. Use a balanced, complete fertilizer to restore nutrients.
Look for clues – nitrogen deficiency typically causes uniform yellowing of older leaves first. Magnesium or potassium deficiency leads to yellowing between the leaf veins.
Soil tests can pinpoint exactly which nutrients are lacking. Fertilize based on soil test results.
Other Environmental Factors Contribute Too
Issues like improper lighting, temperature extremes, pests, and diseases can also cause yellowing.
Elephant ears need bright, indirect light. Direct sun will scorch the leaves. Insufficient light leads to yellowing.
Keep temps between 65-80°F. Drafty areas or cold temps cause leaves to yellow.
Inspect closely for pests like spider mites that feed on leaves. Treat with insecticidal soap.
Prevent fungal diseases with proper watering and spacing. Remove diseased leaves promptly.
How To Bring Your Elephant Ear Plant Back To Health
Follow this checklist to get your elephant ear thriving again:
- Adjust watering to keep soil evenly moist, not soggy
- Improve drainage by ensuring pot has holes, using well-draining soil
- Apply balanced fertilizer according to soil test results
- Provide bright, indirect light, avoid direct sunlight
- Maintain ideal temps between 65-80°F
- Inspect and treat for pests; quarantine diseased plants
- Remove any remaining yellow leaves to improve appearance
- Be patient! It takes time for new healthy leaves to emerge
With attentive care and troubleshooting, your elephant ear will be back to green glory. Consistent moisture, nutrients, and ideal conditions are the keys to success.
Common Questions About Elephant Ear Leaves Turning Yellow
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about yellow leaves on elephant ear plants:
Why are the edges of my elephant ear leaves turning yellow?
Yellow leaf edges are usually caused by dry air or underwatering. Increase humidity around the plant with a pebble tray. Water more frequently to keep soil evenly moist.
Why are my elephant ear leaves turning yellow and mushy?
Mushy yellow leaves indicate overwatering. Allow soil to dry out between waterings. Improve drainage and cut back on watering frequency. Remove damaged leaves.
My elephant ear leaves are yellow with brown spots – why?
Brown spots with yellowing point to a cultural problem like sun scorch. Move the plant to a shadier area away from direct sun. Such spots can also indicate fungal disease – remove affected leaves promptly.
The veins stay green but the rest of the leaf turns yellow – what does this mean?
Green veins with yellowing in between indicates a nutrient deficiency, usually magnesium or potassium. Fertilize with a balanced plant food containing these nutrients.
Why do my elephant ear leaves keep turning yellow?
If leaves remain yellow after adjusting care, the main causes are overwatering, low nutrients, or improper lighting. Troubleshoot each factor methodically to pinpoint the exact problem.
How To Prevent Yellow Leaves On Elephant Ears In The First Place
The best offense is a good defense when it comes to yellow leaves. Here are tips to keep your elephant ear green and healthy:
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Water thoroughly when top inch of soil is dry; avoid overwatering
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Use porous potting mix and pot with drainage holes
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Fertilize monthly in spring and summer with balanced fertilizer
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Provide bright, indirect light and avoid direct sun
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Keep temperatures between 65-80°F
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prune off any yellow or damaged leaves promptly
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Inspect regularly for pests and diseases
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Reduce watering frequency in winter when plant is dormant
Enjoying The Dramatic Foliage Of Elephant Ear Plants
With their stunning, broad foliage, elephant ears are statement-making plants in any garden. Although yellowing leaves may show up from time to time, a little attentive care goes a long way towards keeping these beauties healthy and vibrant.
By correctly identifying and addressing the underlying causes, you can get your elephant ear back into top form to enjoy its magnificent leaves all season long. With the right troubleshooting, these tropical wonders will continue gracing your indoor or outdoor spaces with their bold, captivating charm.
4 reasons why elephant ear plants can turn yellow
These informative tips will help keep your beautiful indoor plants healthy and looking their best, ensuring that your indoor jungle looks as good as possible.
Old, yellowing leaves can be removed at the base( credit: AnSyvanych / iStock / Getty s Plus / Getty s)
Your yellowing alocasia might not be a cause for concern. Lisa Eldred Steinkopf of The Houseplant Guru explains how it is normal for leaves to turn yellow, die, and then drop off the plant as they age.
If the rest of your plant seems healthy, it is probably just an old leaf, she says. If the plant continues to develop yellow leaves or multiple yellow leaves at once, that is an indication there is a problem.
Lisa, a National Garden Bureau member, features all things houseplants on her blog Thehouseplantguru.com. Being an avid outdoor gardener as well has led to a column for Michigan Gardener magazine. In addition, she has written for titles such as Real Simple magazine, Horticulture, and Fine Gardening, and the houseplant section of Allan Armitage’s Greatest Perennials and Annuals app. She lectures extensively around the country, spreading the word about the importance of houseplants and how to care for them, and has been interviewed online, in print, and on TV and radio about houseplants. Lisa worked for more than a decade at Steinkopf Nursery and Garden Center as the annuals and houseplants manager.
Watering too little or too much can cause yellow foliage( credit: flowerphotos / Alamy Stock Photo)
Watering houseplants properly is crucial for keeping them healthy, but it can be a bit of a balancing act.
Poor drainage or overdoing the H2O can lead to root rot, which can eventually kill plants. If youve accidentally done this, you may need to remove any damaged sections before repotting your alocasia into fresh compost. The containers should have a drainage hole so the water can drain, notes Lisa.
On the other hand, not watering enough can also result in alocasias drooping and developing yellow leaves.
Nastya Vasylchyshyna, a resident botany expert at Plantum, recommends giving the plant a drink once the soil gets dry, soaking the growing medium all the way through.
Nastya is a professional botany expert for the Plantum app that helps identify plants and plant diseases and provides care recommendations. Her specialization is plant morphology, phytopathology, and plant physiology.
Pests can stress an alocasia and turn its leaves yellow( credit: Luoxi / Alamy Stock Photo)
According to Lisa, yellow spots on your alocasia can signal the beginnings of a houseplant pest infestation, such as spider mites. If untreated, the leaves will eventually turn completely yellow and die.
She recommends checking the undersides of the leaves and the areas where the leaves meet the stems. Webbing on the leaves can be a sign of spider mites.
Mites love dry plants that are surrounded by dry air, she says. Keep the humidity up by placing your plant on a pebble tray – fill a saucer with pebbles and water and set your plant on the pebbles, making sure it isn’t standing in water.
Nastya says: To get rid of pests, wash the plant under running water and treat it with an insecticidal soap or pesticide. This Garden Safe insecticidal spray from Amazon is a popular pick.
Not enough light
Keep these houseplants somewhere bright( credit: Nataliia Tymofieieva / iStock / Getty s Plus / Getty s)
Low light can also lead to yellowing leaves on your alocasia. Lisa says: A plant will only keep the leaves it can support with the light it has to use. If it doesn’t have enough light, leaves will die.
If a lack of light is the issue, yellowing foliage may also be accompanied by small leaves and leggy shoots, notes Nastya. The plant needs a lot of bright, filtered light to thrive.
If you cant find a spot thats bright enough, consider adding grow lights, such as these LED grow lights from Amazon which include a clever timer function.