What to Do When Michelia alba Leaves Turn Yellow? Here's How to Fix It

What to do when Michelia alba leaves turn yellow: place the Michelia alba in a spot indoors with plenty of sunlight, raise the temperature, and protect its root system, and it can resume growth in spring. At the same time, stop fertilizing and do not water too much.

Michelia alba is a deciduous tree of the genus Michelia in the family Magnoliaceae, reaching 17-20 m tall; potted plants are usually 3-4 m tall, and there are also smaller plants. The bark is grayish white, the young branches are evergreen, the leaves are oblong, simple and alternate, green, leathery and glossy, long elliptic. Its flower buds look like the tip of a writing brush, with 8 petals, white as snow, growing in the leaf axils. The flowers are white or slightly yellow, with thick petals in long lanceolate shape, highly fragrant, and a long flowering period, blooming continuously from June to October.

Analysis of Michelia alba Leaves Turning Yellow

In winter, Michelia alba sometimes develops water-induced yellowing. In winter, when Michelia alba has just been brought indoors, the respiration of the leaves is still relatively strong; if watering is not timely enough and the potting soil dries out, the roots and leaves will wilt. After the winter solstice, Michelia alba begins dormancy, so watering should be reduced; too much watering will cause the leaves to turn yellow and even drop.

Next there are also reasons of light and temperature. In winter, light is insufficient and the temperature is too low; if it stays in this state for a long time, Michelia alba cannot carry out photosynthesis well, which will cause the leaves to turn yellow.

In winter, attention should also be paid to fertilizing. Generally, after Michelia alba is brought indoors in winter, there is no need to fertilize, because the plant is dormant, and fertilizing may cause root rot and yellowing leaves.

How to Deal with Michelia alba Leaves Turning Yellow

Before Michelia alba is brought indoors in winter, it needs to be pruned first, cutting off the dead branches and diseased branches on the plant to prevent them from withering and even to avoid pests and diseases.

When growing it indoors, the following conditions generally need to be met: place the Michelia alba in a spot indoors with plenty of sunlight, raise the temperature, and protect its root system, and it can resume growth in spring. At the same time, stop fertilizing and do not water too much; keep the potting soil dry, and it can overwinter safely.

If, when growing Michelia alba at home, there is a lack of good care conditions, a relatively simple method can be used to help it overwinter safely. The method is to cover the Michelia alba with a plastic bag and tie it securely, then place the flowerpot in a sunny spot; this can likewise play a role in keeping it warm and moist, which helps Michelia alba overwinter.