What to Do When Pothos Leaves Turn Yellow? 8 Major Causes and Solutions
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) survives as soon as it meets water, and because of its tenacious vitality it is known as the "flower of life." When grown indoors, whether in a pot or as a few stem cuttings in water, pothos can grow well. You can let it climb a cylinder made of palm fiber, or train it into a trailing form and place it in a study or on a windowsill, or simply grow it in a pot, making it a beautiful plant very well suited to indoor growing. Many people like to grow pothos, but what causes pothos leaves to turn yellow so easily? What should be done?
The 8 major causes of yellowing pothos leaves and their solutions are as follows:
1. Yellowing of pothos leaves caused by scorching sun (scorch yellow)
Strong direct sunlight easily causes the leaf tips and leaf margins of pothos to wither, and yellow patches appear on the sun-facing parts of the leaves.
Solution: Avoid direct sunlight.
2. Yellowing of pothos leaves caused by insufficient sunlight (light-deficiency yellow)
When placed in a shaded environment for a long time, the leaves cannot get enough sunlight and cannot form chlorophyll, so the whole plant's leaves turn yellow and then drop off.
Solution: Move it to a place with more ample light.
3. Yellowing of pothos leaves caused by overwatering (water yellow)
Young leaves are dull yellow and lack luster, old leaves show no obvious change, stems are thin and yellow-green, and new shoots shrivel and stop growing, indicating overwatering.
Solution: Take the pothos out of its pot and place it in a ventilated, cool spot, then put it back in the pot after the root ball dries.
4. Yellowing of pothos leaves caused by long-term lack of water (drought yellow)
Yellowing from lack of water is different from yellowing from too much water. Yellowing from lack of water means the leaf tips or margins wither and dry out, and old leaves turn yellow from the bottom up and drop off, but new leaves grow relatively normally.
Solution: Just be sure to water thoroughly and give enough water.
5. Yellowing of pothos leaves caused by over-fertilizing (fertilizer yellow)
Yellowing caused by too much fertilizer or too high a concentration shows as dry brown tips on new leaves; generally the leaf surface is thick and lacks luster, and is uneven and not smooth, while old leaves scorch yellow and drop off.
Solution: Stop fertilizing immediately; in severe cases, flush out part of the fertilizer with plenty of clean water, or replace the growing soil.
6. Yellowing of pothos leaves caused by long-term lack of fertilizer (fertilizer-deficiency yellow)
This shows as young leaves becoming lighter in color, turning yellow or pale green, while old leaves remain relatively normal or gradually turn from green to yellow.
Solution: Check the potting soil; if there is dry caking, replace the soil. Normally apply light fertilizer frequently and water with some alum water at the right times.
7. Yellowing of pothos leaves caused by root rot
This shows as young leaves becoming lighter in color, turning yellow or pale green.
Solution: Remove the rotten roots and put the plant in a ventilated place to dry. Once the wounds have healed, return it to the pot, and make sure there is no standing water in the pot. It grows in tropical regions, often climbing on rocks and tree trunks in rainforests; it has strong twining ability and well-developed aerial roots, and can be grown hydroponically.
8. Yellowing of pothos leaves caused by sudden environmental changes
Yellowing of the leaves caused by sudden environmental changes, such as too great a sudden change in temperature, humidity and light, or repotting that damages the roots and requires a period of recovery.
Solution: There is no need to worry in this situation; you can take measures to reduce the degree of environmental change and just wait for it to adapt.
The above are the common causes of yellowing pothos and their solutions. Have you mastered them? With these mastered, you will never again fear your pothos turning yellow.