What to Do When Yew Leaves Turn Yellow? Causes and Solutions

Yew is the general name for plants of the genus Taxus, also known as Chinese yew, red bean tree, and yew, among others. It is widely used in landscaping and indoor bonsai. For example, high-grade bonsai made from rare yew trees have red stems, red branches, green leaves, and red berries, giving them multiple ornamental values: stem, branch, leaf, and fruit. Let us take a look below at what to do when yew leaves turn yellow!

Sudden Environmental Change

[Cause] Sudden changes in the growing environment prevent the plant from adapting well, resulting in poor growth.

[Solution] When transplanting the plant or changing its growing environment, create conditions similar to its original growing environment, make adjustments gradually, and give it a transition period to adapt.

Overwatering

[Cause] Overwatering a yew bonsai can cause leaves to turn yellow, with young leaves turning dull yellow and lusterless, and the growing tips of new shoots wilting.

[Solution] Control the amount of watering and use a hard, blunt object to gently loosen the surface soil of the pot so the potting soil can breathe, and move it every night to a place where it can receive dew.

Long-Term Lack of Water

[Cause] A yew bonsai lacking water for a long time will have dry leaf surfaces; insufficient water causes the leaves to turn yellow.

[Solution] Water thoroughly each time, following the principle of watering when dry and keeping it moist when wet. The surface soil may be dry while the soil in the middle is not necessarily lacking water. When watering, you can combine it with a chemical agent for preventing root rot.

Direct Sun Exposure

[Cause] When sunlight is too intense, the plant's transpiration becomes too strong, and the roots cannot take up water fast enough, causing the leaves to lack water and thus wilt and turn yellow.

[Solution] Place the yew back indoors, and spraying water on the yew's leaves can help it recover.

Dry Air

[Cause] Placing a yew bonsai at the air outlet of an air conditioner increases water evaporation from the leaf surfaces, causing the yew's branches and leaves to dehydrate quickly, making the leaves curl and dry up, with wilting, drooping, and other poor growth symptoms.

[Solution] If it is placed in an air-conditioned room and the air conditioner is turned on every day, spray the leaves daily to maintain leaf moisture, and place a basin of clean water in the room.

Insufficient Sunlight

[Cause] The photosynthetic products of a yew bonsai cannot circulate back to supply the root system, so the roots lack nutrients and enter a starvation state, causing the leaves to turn yellow and drop.

[Solution] In the morning and evening, place it on a balcony or outdoors, once every few days.