One of the most popular Pothos plants, the Marble Queen Pothos shines through with their incredible variegated and heart-shaped leaves. As a family, Pothos plants aren’t the fussiest houseplants and we often recommend them for more inexperienced plant parents or for spaces with less than ideal environments. However, their hardiness doesn’t make them immune to any issues whatsoever and it can still be frustratingly common for issues such as brown or yellow leaves to develop on your Marble Queen Pothos.
In this post, we will cover some of the most common problems that you might face with a Marble Queen Pothos. We will outline tips on how to diagnose and treat the problem but also how you can prevent it from harming your plant again in future.
Causes of brown Marble Queen Pothos leaves:
Dry air can cause brown leaf tips.
Humidity is one of those things that is often forgotten as it’s not as obvious as sunlight or water. Often our homes can have quite dry air, especially in the winter months when we have the heating on for most of the day. If the humidity level around your Marble Queen Pothos is very low for a prolonged period of time, then this can start to cause brown leaf tips on your plant. You can use a humidity monitor to confirm the issue and then get into the habit of regularly misting your plant to increase the humidity.
Overwatering.
This is another common cause of brown leaves on a Marble Queen Pothos and can cause the leaves and stems to turn quite soft and dark brown in colour. If you suspect overwatering is the cause, take your plant out o its pot to inspect the root system and potting mix. Replace any waterlogged soil and trim off any rotten roots to allow your Marble Queen Pothos to begin to recover. In future, to avoid more brown leaves developing on your Marble Queen Pothos as a result of overwatering, use a moisture meter to ensure that the soil has had time to dry out before watering.
Underwatering can also cause brown leaves.
If the leaves on your Marble Queen Pothos have turned light brown, and feel dry and crispy, then you may not be watering your plant enough. Before you go and drown your Marble Queen Pothos in water, you need to make sure that this is actually the issue. If the soil is very dry and powdery then your plant will need more water. Slowly reintroduce water to your plant over the course of a week rather than all in one go to avoid your plant going into shock.
Direct light.
If your Marble Queen Pothos is exposed to a lot of direct light during summer then this can dry out the plant and the leaves and cause them to turn brown. This will often appear as patches across the plant. This tends to only be an issue during summer as the sun is a lot stronger and out for more of the day.
Lack of light.
The opposite issue to direct light can also turn your Marble Queen Pothos brown. Although Marble Queen Pothos plants can grow in a variety of light conditions, they will start to turn brown if they aren’t getting enough light. Find a spot in your home with enough indirect light but avoid direct sunshine during summer.
Cold temperatures.
Marble Queen Pothos don’t like rapid changes in temperature, so you should make sure you keep them out of areas that are often drafty, for example, drafty doors, windows or air conditioning vents. If your Marble Queen Pothos is exposed to a constant stream of cold air, then this can slowly turn the leaves brown. It won’t happen from one day to another as they can tolerate a level of cold air but over time this can become an issue. Try moving your Marble Queen Pothos to a spot with a consistent temperature and keep an eye on any changes for a few weeks. Investing in a digital thermometer will really help you in preventing more brown leaves.
Causes of yellow leaves on a Marble Queen Pothos:
Overwatering.
Too much water tends to be the most common reason why Marble Queen Pothos plants develop yellow leaves so we always recommend starting here when diagnosing the problem. If you accidentally overwater or have a problem with drainage then the roots may start to rot. This prevents your Marble Queen Pothos from getting any of the needed nutrients which causes yellowing in the leaves. Confirm the problem by inspecting the soil and root system to see if the roots have started to rot.
To avoid more yellow leaves adjust your watering schedule moving forward so that you are either watering your Marble Queen Pothos less frequently or giving it less water each time you do.
A pest infestation can cause yellow spots.
If you notice small yellow spots across the leaves of your Marble Queen Pothos then could definitely be a sign of pests. Check your plant thoroughly for pests or any other signs (brown spots, small holes in the leaves, white webbing or powder across the plant). To treat the issue, spray your plant with neem oil daily for a week and trim off the worst affected leaves.
Natural ageing.
If your Marble Queen Pothos is only losing a couple of its oldest leaves at the top of the vines, then this might just be natural ageing. As your Marble Queen Pothos gets older, it will prioritise new bigger growth and will drop some of its smallest and oldest leaves to save energy. These leaves will often turn yellow and then fall off your plant. This is totally normal and nothing for you to be worried about.
A Marble Queen Pothos can lose leaves due to:
Overwatering.
Alongside other issues such as yellow or brown leaves, your Marble Queen Pothos can also lose leaves due to overwatering. This often suggests that the issue has progressed quite far so it’s important you react immediately. Replace any waterlogged soil and trim away any roots that have started to rot. These will be soft to touch and look very dark in colour.
Cold temperatures.
Another reason why your Marble Queen Pothos is losing leaves is due to temperature stress. This usually happens in tandem with some brown leaves. We recommend using a digital thermometer to keep tabs on the temperature fluctuations that might be causing your Marble Queen Pothos to lose leaves. You want to move your plant away from any drafty doors, windows or AC vents.
Natural ageing.
As we mentioned above with yellowing leaves, some leaf loss can be totally natural. If your plant is losing its oldest leaves that are at the top of the vine, closest to the root system then this can be the natural ageing process at work. Monitor the rate of leaf drop to make sure it’s not increasing as this would suggest there is something else going on. You also want to make sure that your Marble Queen Pothos is growing more new leaves at the bottom of the vine, than it is losing them at the top.
Causes of a drooping Marble Queen Pothos
Underwatering.
The most common issue that will cause your Marble Queen Pothos to droop and become quite limp is a lack of water. This is usually one of the earlier signs and is very reversible so acting quickly is key here to prevent more permanent damage such as brown leaves. Give your Marble Queen Pothos a good watering but don’t go crazy as you don’t want to shock your plant or overwater it. You should see your Marble Queen Pothos stop drooping after a few hours or a day.
Shock and stress.
nother reason that Marble Queen Pothos plants can also begin to droop due to stress and shock. This can be caused by a variety of environmental issues such as repotting, propagation, moving it to a new spot or any other sudden change in the environment. As long as the factors of sun, warmth, water and humidity are right for your plant, it should begin to stop drooping in about a week or so.
Why does my Marble Queen Pothos have curling leaves?
Underwatering.
One of the main ways that Marble Queen Pothos retain moisture if they are running low is by curling their leaves. This tends to be an early warning sign that your Marble Queen Pothos is thirsty so check the moisture in the soil to confirm and adjust your watering schedule moving forward. Similarly to a drooping plant, curling leaves on your Marble Queen Pothos due to underwatering should be temporary so will begin to uncurl as you solve the issue.
High temperatures.
Another cause of curling leaves is in response to prolonged heat stress. If your Marble Queen Pothos is too close to radiators, heating vents or cookers then this might be the cause of the leaves curling as they are drying out. Use a digital thermometer to monitor any extreme temperatures and move your Marble Queen Pothos to a slightly cooler spot if necessary.
Direct sunlight.
As well as extreme temperatures, too much direct light can also cause your leaves to curl up in response. This can cause hotspots near windows which in turn causes heat stress. Make sure your Marble Queen Pothos isn’t receiving any intense direct sunlight during summer as this can also burn the leaves as well as cause them to curl up.
To learn more about how to care for your plant and prevent any common problems from occurring, check out our Marble Queen Pothos care guide.
