Problems Archives - Page 2 of 2

This fast-growing, adaptable plant never really gets enough credit in the houseplant world. They add that touch of wilderness to your home, without being super needy. This makes them perfect for office spaces too, where conditions aren’t always ideal and no one wants to take much responsibility! However, although they are adaptable, they are still susceptible to problems if the environment or care isn’t ideal for longer periods of time. It can happen that your Weeping Fig starts to develop brown leaves as a sign that something isn’t right. Light and watering issues are what you need to look out for after spotting brown leaves on your Weeping Fig and we will go through each of the causes in more detail below.

Direct light can burn the leaves

Weeping Figs need bright but indirect light to really thrive, especially when it comes to growing new stems and healthy leaves. Whilst they are great at adapting to lower light levels, you will start to notice brown leaves if they are exposed to too much light. If your Weeping Fig is sat right next to a window, then it may be experiencing sunburn during summer. This is because the sunlight is too intense – yes there is such thing as too much light for a plant! If they receive an hour or two of direct light that should be fine, but any more can cause some real issues such as brown leaves. If you think that direct sunshine is causing the brown leaves on your Weeping Fig, try to move your plant a little bit further away from the window so that it doesn’t receive any direct sun. You’ll still want them to be getting plenty of sunlight but it needs to be indirect.

Overwatering is another cause of brown leaves

If your Weeping Fig’s leaves are turning brown and the plant is drooping down, it is most likely due to overwatering. This tends to be the most common reason why Weeping Fig will die because although they are quite hardy plants, they still can’t overcome a rotting root system. Once the root system has started to rot after being in waterlogged soil for too long, it means that your Weeping Fig is unable to take up water or nutrients. This is what causes the leaves to turn brown. It can also mean that your entire plant droops, turns soft and actually loses leaves as well. If you think that you may have overwatered your Weeping Fig, inspect the moisture levels in the soil and replace immediately if waterlogged. Moving forward, to avoid your Weeping Fig developing more brown leaves due to overwatering, it’s crucial that you only water your Ficus Benjamina when it needs it. Make sure to check the moisture at the top of the soil before watering, if it is still damp then wait a few days. Your watering schedule will need to change throughout the year depending on the growth seasons and environmental changes. Weeping Fig plants really don’t need much water at all during autumn and winter, once a month is usually enough!

Underwatering can also cause brown foliage

If you notice that your Weeping Fig is developing light brown spots or dry crispy edges on the leaves, then it may be that you are underwatering your plant. Although too much water can cause issues for your plant, too little can too and will result in light brown leaves that are very frail to touch and break easily. The easiest way to tell is again just by checking the moisture in the soil and adjusting your watering schedule accordingly. If your Weeping Fig feels very dry, water it a little every other day for a week to slowly moisten up the soil. Drowning it in water straight away could shock your plant which can cause them to lose some leaves. If you just can’t get on the right watering schedule it could be worth investing in a good quality self watering plant pot, these take all of the trouble out of the process and will make sure that your Weeping Fig isn’t resting in stagnant water – eliminating the risk of root rot! Those are the 3 main factors that can cause Weeping Fig plants to develop brown leaves. It’s important to diagnose the problem as soon as you spot the browning as watering issues can quickly kill your plant. We always recommend removing as many of the brown leaves as you can as, unfortunately, there is no reversing them and they’ll never go back to the luscious green they once were. Removing the brown leaves allows your Weeping Fig to put all of its energy into getting back to full health and producing new stems and leaves. Check out our Weeping Fig care guide for all the information you need to best care for your plant and keep it happy and healthy!

Aloe Veras are fairly hardy plants that can be really easy to care for. However, if you do start to notice that your Aloe Vera’s leaves are curling, this may be a symptom of incorrect care or environment. The main reasons why your Aloe Vera’s leaves are curling are: over-or underwatering, dry air, pest infection or a sudden change of environment. In this article, we will go through each of the mentioned causes as well as going through how to diagnose the issue, treat it and prevent it from causing further leaves to curl up on your Aloe Vera plant.

Underwatering is the main cause of curling Aloe Vera leaves

Too little water is the most common reason why Aloe Vera plants start to curl their leaves. This is often surprising to plant parents because Aloe Vera plants are known for needing little water and thriving in dry soil. However, they do need some moisture to survive and thrive so long dry spells will start to cause some real issues. Before underwatering causes dry crispy brown leaves, it will usually start off by showing itself as curling leaves. This is a mechanism that Aloe Vera plants (and many other plant types) use to reduce the loss of moisture.

There are several reasons for drought stress that can cause your aloe vera leaves to curl inwards:

Watering the aloe too lightly (Aloe Vera plants require an infrequent but generous soak).
Not watering frequently enough (although Aloe Vera plants are somewhat drought tolerant, they still require scheduled watering, especially during heatwaves and hot months).
Lower humidity can also increase transpiration from the leaves causing them to dry out and start curling.
Your plant is in water-repellent soil. (If the soil being used is peat-based it can dry off quickly to form a hard potting mix. This then repels water from the surface and it runs down the pot without actually reaching the roots.)

The best way to diagnose and confirm that underwatering is causing your Aloe Vera to start curling is to remove it from its pot and inspect the soil and root system. If you notice that the roots have turned dry and crispy then this indicates underwatering.

How to fix the issue and prevent further curling leaves on your Aloe Vera

Give your Aloe Vera a soak. This will ensure the root system takes up the water rather than it just running out of the bottom of the pot. We recommend soaking for about 5-10 minutes at first so that your plant has enough time to take in some water but it doesn’t leave the whole soil waterlogged.
Adjust your watering schedule moving forward so that you are watering more generously.
Monitor the environment to pick up on any fluctuations that might mean your plant is drying out quicker (low humidity, higher temperatures and more sunlight).

Check the environment for drafts and cold air

Outside of underwatering, there are a few other issues that can cause the leaves on your Aloe Vera to start curling. Cold temperatures and cold drafts are one of them. Whilst you might not notice them, cold streams of air coming in from the outside right by your plant can be very damaging in the long term. Make sure that you draft-proof any windows/ doors that are close to your Aloe Vera (and other tropical or heat-loving houseplants) as well as move them away from any air conditioning vents as these can be quite damaging to your plants during summer. Using a digital thermometer is an easy way to monitor the temperature in your home and they allow you to check for any cold drafts. They are a great investment for plant parents. If your Aloe Vera is in quite a cool room, this can also increase the risk of overwatering and root rot. Your Aloe Vera won’t need as much water as the soil will take a lot longer to dry out in cooler temperatures. This can be the perfect place for root rot and leaf rot to occur so you want to be cutting back your watering frequency to prevent this.

A sudden change in environment can often cause curling leaves

Things like repotting, propagating or moving your plant to a new spot in your home can cause your Aloe Vera to get a little shocked and the leaves may start curling. It is nothing to worry about and it will just take some time for it to return to normal and for the leaves to naturally uncurl. One thing to make sure of if you have moved your Aloe Vera to a new spot is that the conditions are the same, if not better than the one it was previously in. Your Aloe Vera will probably survive if the conditions are less suited to its requirements but it may just grow a little slower than before. The best way to determine if the environment is right is by using a light meter, as well as a thermometer and humidity gauge. Those are the most common reasons why Aloe Vera plants begin curling their leaves. We would always start with figuring out if underwatering is to blame as dehydration and drought stress is the most common cause. From there, check other factors such as temperature and humidity to see if there are any changes that might be stressing your Aloe Vera out. If the only symptom is curling leaves, then it suggests that you have caught the issue fairly early which should mean treating the issue is easier. The longer you leave the problem to progress, the more difficult it will be to get your plant back on track. Make sure to keep a close eye on your Aloe Vera for the next few weeks after making any changes to the care and environment so that you’re sure the issue is resolving itself. Check out our Aloe Vera care guide for more information on other common problems as well as general care tips to help your plant thrive!

Want a bit of the tropics in your own home? Then the Sago Palm is a great way to do this. They aren’t as sensitive as a lot of other plants but this doesn’t mean that you won’t from time to time experience some common problems. If things aren’t right then your Sago Palm may develop brown leaves. Whether these come in the form of entire leaves turning brown, or just brown tips forming, it’s best to diagnose the problem as quickly as possible to prevent it from affecting more of your Palm.

Underwatering is the most common cause

If the leaves on your Sago Palm have turned light brown, dry and crispy, then you may not be watering your plant enough. Sago Palms really don’t need that much water so this issue must have been going on for a while for it to be affecting the leaves and turning them brown. This problem tends to become more prevalent during summer where hot dry climates do mean they can’t go for weeks and weeks without water. Before you go and drown your Sago Palm in water, you need to make sure that this is actually the issue. Carefully take your Sago Palm out of the pot to inspect the soil. If it is very dry and powdery then your plant will need more water. You should also inspect the root system as dry shrivelled and crispy roots also indicate underwatering. Slowly reintroduce water to your plant over the course of a week, rather than drowning it all at once. A sudden change in environment can shock your Sago Palm and cause more problems than brown leaves.

A lack of humidity can also cause brown tips

Sago Palms prefer an environment with high humidity levels. If you find that the tips of your Sago Palm’s leaves are turning brown, then it may be because the air in your home is too dry. There are a few really simple methods that we use to ensure the humidity is at a comfortable level for your Sago Palm. Firstly, it’s a great habit to get into spraying the leaves with a mist bottle every few days. You can also create a pebble tray, put your Sago Palm in the bathroom and leave the shower on hot for 5 minutes or for a quick and easy solution you could invest in a humidifier to keep the levels perfect all year round. You should also think about buying a good humidity monitor to keep track of everything and ensure your Sago Palm is getting enough humidity to avoid more brown leaves.

Brown leaves can signal pests – scale insects or spider mites

A less common but more concerning possibility why your Sago Palm has brown leaves is a pest infestation. Although this is rare with plants that don’t spend any time outdoors, it can still happen. Sago Palms are usually infested with either scale insects or spider mites so look out for these on your plant. Pests suck on the nutrients which is what causes the leaves to turn brown, die and eventually fall off. If you find pests on your Sago Palm there are a few steps you need to take immediately. Firstly, isolate the infected plant away from all of your other houseplants to stop the pests from spreading to your other beloved plants (they can jump across leaves that are close or overlapping). To treat the pests on your Sago Palm, and prevent more brown leaves, we recommend giving the whole plant a shower. Make sure the shower isn’t on full pressure and you should be fine. You should also treat your Sago Palm with an organic insecticide to fight the infestation. Those are the main reasons why your Sago Palm has developed brown leaves or brown leaf tips. It’s probably one of the most common issues to develop on these Palms so it’s good to keep an eye out for them so you can catch the problem early and get your Palm back to full health. When it comes to removing the brown leaves from your Palm, we do recommend that you remove only leaves that have fully turned brown and leaving brown leaf tips on the plant. Check out our Sago Palm care guide to learn more about how to keep your Palm happy and healthy!

Known for their flat coin-shaped leaves, the Peperomia Hope is a little bit different from most other succulent types which can be a little confusing when it comes to their care needs. This is why a lot of Peperomia Hope plant parents find they have quite a few issues with these plants and struggle to keep them thriving. In this post, we will cover all of the most common problems you might face with Peperomia Hope plants, as well as how to treat the problems and stop them from causing more havoc with your plant in future.

Causes of brown leaves on a Peperomia Hope

Temperature extremes. Drafts that come through cracks in windows or doors can be quite harmful to your Peperomia Hope and will cause brown leaves among other issues. Make sure to draft-proof any windows or doors that are within 1 metre of your Peperomia Hope or any other houseplants. If the brown leaves are occurring in summer, then it might be that your Peperomia Hope is too close to an air conditioning vent so watch out for these too. We recommend buying a thermometer to measure how the temperature changes throughout the day and across the year to ensure that your Peperomia Hope doesn’t develop brown leaves as a result of cold air.
Leaf rot. Your Peperomia Hope may also be developing brown spots and patches if the leaves are getting wet. Damp leaves are a Peperomia Hope’s worst enemy during winter as they will begin to rot when temperatures drop, causing brown spots. You want to make sure you are watering as close to the soil as possible to avoid the leaves getting splashed. If you aren’t already, use a long narrow spouted watering can that will allow you to get past the leaves and avoid brown leaves.

Causes of yellow leaves on a Peperomia Hope

Overwatering. Too much water is a very common reason behind yellow leaves on Peperomia Hopes so it’s a good idea to inspect the potting soil closely. Overwatering will cause damage to the root system and mean your plant will develop yellow leaves, as well as become soft and fall off. To figure out if overwatering is the reason your Peperomia Hope is turning yellow, check the moisture levels in the soil immediately. Trim away any rotten roots and adjust your watering schedule so you aren’t watering your Peperomia Hope as much as you were before.
Nutrient issues. Peperomia Hope can also develop yellow leaves as a result of over fertilisation or a lack of nutrients. It’s a bit tricky to diagnose this one properly as both extremes can cause exactly the same issues. Peperomia Hope plants really don’t need much fertiliser so if you are fertilising more than a few times per year, we recommend cutting this out for a while. If you aren’t feeding your Peperomia Hope at all, and haven’t switched out any of the potting mix recently, then a lack of nutrients might be the cause of the yellow leaves.
Direct sunlight. If your Peperomia Hope is getting too much bright light you’ll start to notice yellowy patches throughout the leaf. This is due to the sunlight burning the leaves which is unfortunately irreversible. Try moving your Peperomia Hope into a slightly shadier place, and if there’s no improvement move it a little further again until you find it’s the perfect spot. You can carefully trim away the burnt yellow leaves so your Peperomia Hope can focus its energy on new healthy growth.
Pests. There is one more slightly worrying cause of yellow leaves on a Peperomia Hope; a pest infestation. We recommend isolating your plant until you can confirm pests or not as you don’t want to risk them jumping onto your other plants and causing more yellow leaves. If you do spot pests on your Peperomia Hope then you want to wash your plant down and treat it with neem oil as if not treated, they will continue to cause yellow spots on your Peperomia Hope and will slowly kill your plant.

Why is my Peperomia Hope losing leaves?

Overwatering. Root rot can occur when you have been giving your Peperomia Hope too much water and the soil becomes waterlogged. This causes instability in the plant and often means your plant will lose some of its leaves. To figure out if overwatering is why your Peperomia Hope is losing leaves, inspect the leaves a little closer. If you see brown or black spots all over the leaf, it usually means that the plant is waterlogged. If the dry brown leaves that are falling off are towards the bottom of the plant, closest to the roots, this also indicates root rot.
Natural ageing. If your Peperomia Hope is losing a couple of leaves every few months, then it might simply be natural ageing. It’s normal for your Peperomia Hope to lose a few of its oldest and smallest leaves so that it can focus all its energy and nutrients growing new healthy bigger leaves. Monitor how many leaves are falling off your Peperomia Hope to make sure there’s nothing else going on.

Causes of a drooping Peperomia Hope

Underwatering. Too little water can harm your Peperomia Hope in more ways than one. It can cause dry leaves, lack of growth and nutrient deficiency. But one of the earlier signs of underwatering is a drooping plant. If you find that the stems and leaves look a little lifeless, it could be because the soil has been dry for too long. If this is the cause of your droopy Peperomia Hope, water it a little every other day for a week. Your first instinct might be to give it loads of water straight away but this can actually be harmful to your Peperomia Hope if the soil goes from one extreme to the other and can mean it droops even more.
Cold temperatures. Another common reason why your Peperomia Hope might start to droop is temperature changes. If your Peperomia Hope is near a drafty door or window or is close to an AC vent, then this flow of cold air could be causing your drooping plant. Invest in a digital thermometer to monitor fluctuations in temperature to ensure that your plant isn’t being exposed to extremely hot or cold air and your Peperomia Hope should stop drooping.

Those are the most common problems that you will face with a Peperomia Hope, as well as how to best treat them. The key to reviving a dying Peperomia Hope is spotting the problems early before they have caused too much damage to the root system or leaves. Make sure to inspect your plants regularly and thoroughly to see if you notice any early warning signs. To learn more about what care requirements your plant needs, check out our Peperomia Hope care guide.

Otherwise known as the Wax Plant, the Hoya Linearis can be quite a rare find so once you’ve got your hands on one, it can be pretty worrying when things start to go wrong. Whether you’ve discovered brown or yellow leaves on your plant, or your Hoya Linearis looks droopy and limp, we’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find all of the factors that cause the most common problems so you can not only treat the issue quickly but prevent it from causing more damage in future.

Causes of Hoya Linearis brown leaves:

Intense direct sunlight can cause brown Hoya Linearis leaves. If your plant is getting too much bright intense sunlight then you might start to notice the leaves drying out and turning quite light brown in colour. This is due to the sunlight actually burning the leaves. Although there is no going back once the leaves are brown, move your Hoya Linearis into a slightly shadier place to prevent any more from occurring.
Underwatering can also cause dry brown leaves. If the leaves are turning quite brown dry and crispy but all over and not just the edges and tips then it may be due to underwatering. Although Hoya Linearis plants like to have quite dry soil, if they are going weeks and weeks without water then they will start to dry out and turn brown. Before adjusting your watering schedule, you want to be sure that this is the cause otherwise you may very quickly be overwatering. Confirm the issue by checking the soil and seeing if the roots have started to crisp up. Then water your plant a little bit once a day for a week. After a week you want to go back to a more normal care routine, making sure to check the moisture in the soil frequently to avoid the brown leaves from developing again!
Brown leaves on your Hoya Linearis can also indicate low humidity levels. If watering and light aren’t the issue, then it might be dry air that is browning your Hoya Linearis. This will usually happen slowly from the tips inwards but won’t progress very quickly. But luckily for plant parents, it can be pretty simple to increase the humidity for your Hoya Linearis. We recommend misting or bathing the plant, using a pebble tray or buying a humidifier.

Causes of Hoya Linearis yellow leaves:

Overwatering. If you notice that your Hoya Linearis is developing yellow patches on its leaves, the problem may be too much water. It’s an important issue to treat quickly so you’ll want to confirm the issue by checking the soil and roots to see if they are mushy. Replace any waterlogged potting mix and cut away rotten roots as there is no salvaging them. Not only can the leaves turn a weird shade of yellow but it can also mean the plant becomes droopy and unstable. Make sure to let the soil fully dry out between waterings to prevent the issue from happening again.
Drainage Issues. It might not be the amount or frequency that you water your Hoya Linearis that is causing the yellow leaves, but the lack of drainage. Stagnant water in the bottom of your plant’s pot can leave the soil waterlogged and you also need to make sure that your Hoya Linearis’ pot has drainage holes that aren’t blacked by anything. If you still need to aid drainage then the best option is mixing in a little perlite with the soil, this will make it far easier for water to flow through and also aids aeration of the soil. Another switch you might want to make to avoid more yellow leaves is using terracotta pots instead of plastic ones. These will allow some of the excess water to evaporate out of the sides of the pot if you accidentally overwater. We love these from Amazon.
Overfertilisation. Hoya Linearis plants are quite sensitive when it comes to fertilisation and it’s important to dilute the fertiliser a lot to avoid yellow leaf burn. To stop the issue from progressing any further, remove any fertiliser spikes or replace the entire potting mix if the pellets are mixed in. If you’ve been using a water-soluble fertiliser, either replace the potting mix as well or rinse it in the shower to remove the fertiliser. Moving forward, cut back or even cut out fertiliser from your care routine. You’ll still see plenty of new healthy growth without it and it will avoid any yellow leaves on your Hoya Linearis in future.

Hoya Linearis plants lose leaves for a variety of reasons

Cold temperatures. Cold streams of air coming in through air conditioning vents or drafty windows can shock your Hoya Linearis and result in your plant shedding some of its leaves as a result. It can be difficult to notice drafts so it’s best to pick up a digital thermometer so you can track any fluctuations in temperatures. Make sure to move your plant to a warmer spot if needed to avoid them losing any more leaves.
Shock and stress. It’s not just cold temperatures that can shock your Hoya Linearis and cause it to lose leaves, but environmental shock and stress in general. This can happen after propagation, repotting, moving home and any other change. Usually, when it comes to shock, the leaf loss is temporary and should only last a week or two. If your Hoya Linearis is still losing leaves after that time, then there might be other causes.
Overwatering. Too much water can also lead to your Hoya Linearis losing leaves and it can be quite a common issue with these plants during winter. If you notice the leaves becoming a little softer than usual this may be because the roots are beginning to rot. This means that the plant isn’t able to get all the nutrients it needs and becomes unstable and droopy. Trim away any rotten roots and replace any soggy soil with fresh dry mix. Moving forward, you’ll need to adjust your watering habits to ensure that overwatering doesn’t harm your Hoya Linearis again. Either cut back on how much you water your Hoya Linearis or how frequently.

Why is my Hoya Linearis drooping?

Underwatering. One of the earlier signs of an underwatered Hoya Linearis is drooping leaves. Stick a finger in the top few centimetres of the soil to check the moisture, or remove the potting mix entirely to check if the roots have started to turn crispy. This would indicate that the issue has been going on for a while. If you find that your Hoya Linearis’ soil is very dry, water it a little every other day for a week. Avoid drowning it in water as this can cause shock and your Hoya Linearis can actually lose leaves as we mentioned above.
Overwatering. What is strange about drooping Hoya Linearis leaves is that the issue can be caused by both overwatering and underwatering. This is because both issues damage the root system, starving it of what it needs to thrive which causes it to droop. If the leaves on your Hoya Linearis are drooping but are still green and healthy then the problem should not be so advanced and it should be easier to revive your plant. If your Hoya Linearis is suffering from overwatering and root rot replace the potting mix right away and trim away any rotten roots. In future, make sure the potting mix has enough time to fully dry out between waterings.

To learn more about how to best care for your plant and prevent more issues, take a look through our Hoya Linearis care guide.

One of the hundreds of Air Plant types, the Xerographica has found its way to being one of the most popular and searched after varieties. If the dreaded thing has happened and your Xerographica has brown leaves, then this might, unfortunately, be quite an issue for your plant. Whilst some browning can be attributed to the natural life cycle, there are also some more worrying causes of brown leaves and leaf tips which we will go through below.

A lack of moisture can cause brown leaves for Xerographica’s

If your Xerographica’s leaves have become quite shrivelled and curled as well as brown then it may be because they aren’t receiving enough moisture. As Xerographica plants don’t grow like most other houseplants, in a pot full of soil that you water, you need to make sure that you are still giving your plant enough moisture. They need regular misting and bathing, especially during summer to prevent brown leaves. If you haven’t been misting or bathing your Xerographica very often, then your first instinct might be to give it loads of water straight away. However, this can actually be harmful to your plant (yes, plants can get shocked too). So instead you want to reintroduce moisture slowly by misting daily and giving short baths.

Leaf rot shows up as brown patches

Too much moisture can also cause problems for your Xerographica as if the leaves are quite wet whilst your plant is exposed to cold temperatures, then this can cause the leaves to rot and turn brown. This will usually show up as brown spots and patches across the leaves, which are soft to touch and fall off the plant pretty easily. If you have been giving your Xerographica too much water, then this is a little harder to rectify because there is no soil to replace which would be the natural step for most other plants. Instead, remove the worst affected areas of the plant and hold off misting or bathing for a few days. Going forward, ensure that you aren’t giving your plant too much water and that it isn’t exposed to cold temperatures that might exacerbate the problem.

Fertiliser burn can also cause brown leaf tips

Most generic plant foods and fertilisers will recommend a dosage for your plants, but it’s often far too much for a Xerographica and can result in brown leaves. They will usually turn brown from the tips and edges inwards. There are a few things you can do here to prevent the problem from causing more brown leaves. Firstly, hold off fertilizing altogether or you can dilute the fertiliser more than you were doing before so that it’s a lot weaker. Your other option is buying a fertiliser specifically for Air Plants but this can be harder to find.

Chemical sensitivity

Another cause of brown leaf tips on Xerographica plants is fluoride sensitivity. If you live in a hard water area, the chlorine and fluoride in the tap water can cause brown tips. This is because over time the chemicals will build up on the leaves and prevent your plant from photosynthesising properly. Luckily, there are a few ways to stop this happening that don’t involve investing in a really expensive water purification system for your home. Firstly, you can collect rainwater and mist/bathe your Xerographica with that as the levels of fluoride and other chemicals will be much lower than the treated water out of your tap. Secondly, you can leave a watering can full of water out for around 24 hours. Over that time a lot of the chemicals will evaporate from the water and it is safer to use. This isn’t an instant fix and there may be a few brown leaf tips that develop every now and again but it should stop the problem from developing rapidly.

It may just be the natural Xerographica life cycle

If none of the factors we mentioned above really fit with what is going on with your Xerographica then it might just be part of the natural cycle. Sometimes, when a Xerographica plant turns brown and crispy it actually means the plant is dying. If there are pups on your Xerographica that are at the point where they could be propagated, then the mother plant will dry up and die. This is normal and is how Xerographica plants reproduce. It’s not because of any wrongdoing so all you need to do here is propagate the pups and nurture these. Those are the main reasons why a Xerographica plant has developed brown leaves. It’s important that you first establish whether or not this is part of the natural Air Plant life cycle as you don’t want to be changing anything about the care or your plant’s environment if it’s not needed. Then the next thing we always recommend ruling out is any issues with watering as this can be a very quick killer of Xerographica plants as they need such unique care, unlike anything we are used to with other houseplants. To learn more about your plant’s needs, check out our Xerographica care guide.

Love Palms but have a small space, the Parlor Palm is your answer. These luscious plants bring that little bit of the tropics right to your home. However, as they have quite long and thin leaves, they are susceptible to quite a few issues if things aren’t right. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place as below you’ll find an outline of each of the different causes of some of the most common issues such as brown leaves, yellow leaves, a drooping palm or leaf drop. We’ll help you diagnose the issue, treat it and also prevent it from happening again to your Parlor Palm in future.

Causes of Parlor Palm brown leaves

Underwatering. Whilst your Parlor Palm will forgive you for the occasional lack of water, if the problem persists, your plant will most likely develop brown leaf tips and edges. Before you start pouring a bucket of water over your Parlor Palm to make up for lost time, it’s important that you’re 100% sure it’s the cause of the brown leaves. The best way to do this is to take your plant out of its pot and feel how dry the potting mix is. If your Parlor Palm is underwatered, the potting mix will be dry and crumbly and the roots may look crispy. To solve the issue and prevent more brown leaves, water your Parlor Palm a little bit once a day for about a week and use a moisture meter to keep track of how much water your Parlor Palm needs in future. These go a long way to preventing issues such as brown leaves.
Overwatering. Funnily enough, too much water can actually lead to similar issues as a lack of water, including brown leaves. Once the roots have rotted in waterlogged soil, your Palm isn’t able to get all the nutrients it needs and becomes unstable and droopy and the leaves will begin to turn brown. If you find the potting mix is waterlogged and clumpy then replace it with fresh dry mix straight away rather than letting it dry naturally. This means the plant can start to recover and prevents any further stress on the roots. Moving forward, cut back on either how much water you give your Parlor Palm or how frequently you water it.
Low humidity can cause brown leaf tips. If the issue doesn’t lie in the watering, it could be a lack of humidity that is causing your Parlor Palm’s leaves to turn brown. Parlor Palms like quite humid environments and can struggle in homes with dry air. This can be especially damaging in the winter months due to central heating which really dries out the air. Get into the habit of misting your Parlor Palm or invest in a humidifier to solve the issue and prevent dry air from causing further brown leaves in future.

Causes of Parlor Palm yellow leaves

Overwatering. More often than not, overwatering is the cause of your Parlor Palm’s yellow leaves. If their soil has become waterlogged this will cause the roots to rot and become mushy. Confirm the issue by removing your Parlor Palm from its pot and inspecting the root system. Replace any waterlogged soil with fresh dry mix and adjust your watering schedule so that you give enough time for the potting mix to dry out. This will really help prevent any more yellow leaves from cropping up in future.
Overfertilisation. Parlor Palms don’t need to be fertilised that often, or even at all as you can still see plenty of new healthy growth each year without any feed. If you are fertilising your Parlor Palm during winter or at very regular intervals during summer, then it may be the cause of the yellow leaves. Remove any slow-release fertiliser spikes or just stop adding fertiliser to the water and you should start to see the problem stopping. If the issue of yellow leaves has progressed quite far, you might choose to replace the potting mix to remove any excess fertiliser.
Direct sunlight. If the yellowing on your Parlor Palm’s leaves is quite patchy and looks scorched then it may be due to too much direct sunlight which has burnt the leaves. Parlor Palms like areas with bright light, but it needs to be indirect so try to avoid placing it right next to a window. Whilst this won’t be so much of a problem during winter, intense sunlight during summer can damage your plant and cause yellow leaves as well as cause hotspots which dry out the leaves. To solve the issue, move your Palm to a slightly shadier spot in your home.

Parlor Palms begin losing leaves for a variety of reasons

Stress and shock. Whilst Parlor Palms aren’t the most sensitive of houseplant types, it can be quite normal for them to experience stress or shock which causes them to start losing a few leaves. They don’t like to be moved around too much and a sudden change of environment can be quite harmful to your Parlor Palm leaf. Different lighting and humidity levels can also be quite a shock to your Parlor Palm and it may take some adjusting before the new environment becomes its new comfort zone. As long as the new environment caters for its light and space requirements, it should adjust nicely, stop losing leaves and regain strong and healthy growth.
Cold temperatures. Another one of the most common reasons why Parlor Palms start losing their leaves is due to inconsistent temperatures, particularly cold temperatures. If your plant is exposed to low temperatures (the ideal temperature for Parlor Palm is between 18°C – 24°C), it can often cause them to go into shock and some leaves will drop from the plant. Cold drafts can be caused by a range of things but doors or windows with small cracks are your Parlor Palm’s worst enemy. We really recommend buying a digital thermometer to check the temperature around your Parlor Palm and prevent it from losing any more leaves.

Why is my Parlor Palm drooping?

Underwatering. Too little water can harm your Parlor Palm in more ways than one but one of the earlier signs of underwatering is drooping leaves. Stick a finger in the top few centimetres of the soil to check the moisture or use a moisture meter if you have one. If the potting mix is very dry then slowly reintroduce water over the next week rather than drowning it all at once (as this can cause shock and more drooping leaves). Investing in a moisture meter would be a great idea to prevent your Parlor Palm from drooping in future and if you really just want a set-it and forget-it solution, getting a self-watering pot could be the one for you.
Overwatering. Similarly to underwatering, too much water can have the same effect and cause your Parlor Palm to start drooping. This is because once the roots have started to rot, your plant won’t be able to get the nutrients, moisture and oxygen it requires. If you think that you may have overwatered your Parlor Palm it is best to replace the soil straight away rather than just sit and wait for it to dry up over time. Make sure to use fresh, nutrient rich soil when you do this, our recommendation is this one from Miracle-Gro. Moving forward, adjust your watering schedule so that your Parlor Palm’s soil has time to dry out between waterings and this will help prevent your plant from drooping again in future.

Causes of curling leaves on a Parlor Palm

Low humidity can cause curling leaves. Whilst Parlor Palms can withstand the normal humidity level in your home, they don’t do so well with dry air and this could be the cause of the curling leaves. Using a humidity monitor will help you diagnose this issue as it isn’t as obvious as lighting or moisture problems. To increase the humidity, get into the habit of misting your Parlor Palm or using a humidifier to do the work for you!
Another cause of curling leaves on a Parlor Palm is underwatering. Houseplants start curling their leaves to prevent moisture loss so this is always a good place to start when diagnosing the issue (and keep it in mind for other houseplant types too). Confirm whether the curling leaves are caused by dry soil by inspecting the potting mix. To solve the issue, water your Parlor Palm lightly each day for one week before returning to a more regular schedule. This helps moisten the soil without causing stress.
Water sensitivity could also be to blame. If watering and humidity issues are not causing your Parlor Palm any harm, then it might be sensitive to excess minerals in the water. They can build up around the roots and cause issues over time. The first sign of trouble is usually curling leaves or brown leaf tips. Start watering your Parlor Palm with filtered, distilled or rainwater if you live in a hard water area.

Those are the main issues that plant parents face with Parlor Palms. To learn more about how to keep your plant happy and healthy, check out our Parlor Palm care guide.

Native to Central Africa, although the African Milk Tree might look like a cactus, it’s actually a succulent which changes how you care and spot problems a little. If you have started to notice some of the leaves on your African Milk Tree have turned yellow, this can mean there is something wrong with either your plant’s environment or the care it’s receiving.

In this post, we will go through each of the different reasons why African Milk Tree leaves turn yellow so you can see which one is affecting your plant and fix the problem straight away.

Underwatering

If the leaves are turning quite dry and crispy all over as well as yellow then it may be due to a consistent lack of water. Although African Milk Trees can deal with drought, you still have to get the right balance when watering to avoid it drying out. We always recommend a little but often approach to avoid any watering issues.

If you think that your African Milk Tree has been underwatered then check the soil before you do or change anything! You want to be sure that this is the cause otherwise you may very quickly be overwatering and causing a whole wealth of other problems (African Milk Trees are more sensitive to overwatering than underwatering so err on the side of caution). Once you are sure that the soil is bone dry, then slowly reintroduce watering. Your first instinct might be to drown your African Milk Tree in water but this can actually cause more damage and more yellow leaves. This is because plants get shocked by a sudden change in environment.

Water your African Milk Tree a little bit once a day for about a week. After then you want to go back to a more normal care routine, making sure to check the moisture in the soil frequently to avoid any yellow leaves from developing again!

Overwatering

One common cause of yellow leaves on African Milk Trees is overwatering and subsequent root rot. This usually shows itself by the lowest leaves turning yellow first. If you think that your African Milk Tree is suffering from overwatering and root rot, the best thing to do is to take your plant out of its pot immediately and inspect the root system. Carefully trim away any rotten roots as this will encourage the new healthy roots to grow. If the potting mix of your African Milk Tree is still soggy and waterlogged, replace it immediately. Don’t wait for it to naturally dry out as this risks causing more harm to your African Milk Tree and it can cause more yellow leaves.

Over the next few weeks, you need to water your African Milk Tree less than you were doing before so that it can start to recover. Using a moisture meter is a great way to know when it’s time for a water. You will also want to adjust your watering schedule depending on the seasons, to ensure that you are cutting down on watering over the colder, darker months of autumn and winter.

Top tip: to avoid the roots of your plant sitting in water for days, remove any excess water that has run out of the drainage holes into your saucer or planter.

Cold Temperatures

As they are native to central Africa, African Milk Trees prefer slightly warmer temperatures so will struggle in cold homes. Over time, the cold air will impact your African Milk Tree’s health and it may be what is causing them to develop yellow leaves. Make sure your African Milk Tree is away from all air conditioning vents, drafty windows or doors as the colder air can shock your plant. You can always pick up a digital thermometer to check the temperature of the spot your African Milk Tree is sitting in to check whether it needs to be moved to a new, warmer spot in your home.

Natural Ageing

If it is the lower leaves on your African Milk Tree that are turning yellow then this may be simply natural ageing. Over time, your African Milk Tree will drop some of its oldest leaves in favour of growing bigger healthier new ones. This is completely natural and isn’t something you did wrong or anything to worry about. The rate of natural ageing should be 1 or 2 of the oldest leaves every few months. Monitor the rate of yellowing to see if it is speeding up or well above this rate as there might be another cause you need to look out for.

Those are the most common reasons why the leaves on your African Milk Tree are turning yellow. We recommend going through each of the reasons one by one to see what fits with your plant. After changing something about your plant’s environment or care, we recommend keeping a very close eye on your plant to see if the problem is getting better or if new leaves are also turning yellow. As some factors cause very similar symptoms, it can sometimes be difficult to know exactly what to change so make sure to monitor the rate of yellowing.

To discover more about how to care for your plant how to spot other common issues, check out our African Milk Tree care guide.

If you are struggling to revive your plant and the yellowing just seems to be getting worse, then you might need to propagate your African Milk Tree to save some of the healthy sections.

Arguably one of the most sensitive and fussy houseplants out there, the Maidenhair Fern is no stranger to common problems, commonly yellow leaves! These can pop up if your Maidenhair Fern is only the slightest bit uncomfortable with any care or environmental factors so sometimes it can be difficult to pin down exactly what is wrong.

But don’t fret, we have written this detailed guide to help you understand all the possible causes of yellow Maidenhair Fern leaves, allowing you to diagnose the issue as well as follow the right steps to stop the problem from causing any more damage to your Fern.

A lack of sunlight could cause yellow foliage in Maidenhair Ferns

Although there isn’t much worse for Maidenhair Ferns than too much sunlight, too little can also cause issues such as yellowing leaves. This can be especially common over winter where the days are shorter and the sun is weaker so just make sure to amend the position of your plant depending on the season.

Too much sunlight

As we mentioned above, Maidenhair Ferns don’t like bright direct sunlight and this can very quickly scorch the leaves. Maidenhair Ferns have very delicate leaves so the issue can become a real problem very quickly.

Sunburn will show itself in patches of yellow across the leaves on the side which is facing the window. Unfortunately, these patches are irreversible so you are best trimming them off if the leaves are quite severely damaged.

Make sure to move your plant away from the direct light to a shadier spot in your home and this should prevent any more yellow leaves from forming on your Maidenhair Fern.

Stress – They hate being moved or repotted!

This is something that isn’t really talked about much but plants get stressed and shocked, and Maidenhair Ferns can be especially sensitive to this sometimes. Maidenhair Ferns especially don’t like it if they are moved to a different spot or are repotted. When there is such a drastic change in their environment, they can develop yellowing across some of the leaves. As long as the new environment is good for them, they will adjust and the yellowing will stop.

It’s important to bring in any changes gradually to avoid this stress. When moving your plant, move it in increments, allowing it to adjust to the change in environment slowly. Of course, if you are moving house etc there isn’t any way to slowly allow your plant to adjust. In this case, just keep an eye on your plant and make extra sure that it’s getting the right care.

Using a digital thermometer, light meter and moisture meter can help you keep track of your Maidenhair Fern’s environment so you can respond to any major changes.

Natural ageing is also a factor to consider

If it’s only the oldest (and most commonly smallest) leaves on your Maidenhair Fern that are turning yellow then this may be simply natural ageing. As your Maidenhair Fern matures, it is completely normal for it to lose some leaves so that it can focus its energy reserves on new growth. These leaves will usually turn yellow before falling off the plant.

Maidenhair Ferns will regularly lose leaves, that’s just the way with Ferns so it’s more about realising what is natural shedding and what is a problem. As a general rule, if your Maidenhair Fern is growing more healthy new leaves than it is losing old ones, then this is often OK. Another thing to look out for is the rate of yellowing speeding up as this is also a sign something isn’t right.

Should I trim away the yellow leaves on my Maidenhair Fern?

You might be wondering if it is best to leave the yellow leaves on your Maidenhair Fern and wait until they naturally fall off, or trim them away. We always recommend removing the worst affected areas of the plant. If there are sections of your Fern that have turned yellow completely, then trim these away. If there is just the odd yellowing leaf dotted here and there then leaves these until they naturally fall off.

The reason for this is that removing the large yellowing areas means your Fern isn’t wasting energy on keeping those bits alive or trying to revive them.

If you were lucky and managed to catch the issue quite early and the problem hasn’t spread to the entirety of your Maidenhair Fern, then you should be able to fairly quickly solve the issue. However, if the leaves are yellowing at a rapid rate, then we recommend thinking about propagating some of the healthy parts of the plant in case the mother plant doesn’t make it.

To learn more about how to propagate your plant, as well as other general care advice, check out our Maidenhair Fern care guide.

Why does my Weeping Fig (Ficus Benjamina) have brown leaves?