Loved for their white and green heart-shaped leaves, the Snow Queen Pothos is one of our favourite plants so it can be pretty distressing when you find something is wrong. There are a range of issues that can affect your Snow Queen Pothos, from brown and yellow leaves to a drooping plant, curling leaves and even your plant losing leaves altogether.
Whatever the problem, there are always several things you can do to revive your dying Snow Queen Pothos, you just have to know what the right steps are. This is why in this post we will be going through all the various problems your Snow Queen Pothos can face, as well as how to fix the issues and prevent them from harming your plant in future.
Causes of brown leaves on a Snow Queen Pothos
Underwatering.
If the brown patches on your Snow Queen Pothos have become quite light brown, dry and crispy (starting from the tips) it may be because you have underwatered your plant. Make sure to regularly water your Snow Queen Pothos, a little and often to make sure that the soil is always slightly damp. Snow Queen Pothos plants don’t like to be swimming in water, but they don’t like to have dry soil for too long either. If you spot a few dry brown tips, adjusting your watering schedule should solve the problem pretty quickly. Trim away the brown parts and any new growth should hopefully be healthy and luscious green and white.
Overwatering.
If your Snow Queen Pothos has developed dark brown spots, a common cause of this is too much water which can quickly lead to root rot. You will notice that the leaves closest to the root system are the first to turn brown. If you think you might have overwatered your Snow Queen Pothos it’s important to check the soil right away and change it out completely if necessary. Never wait for the soil to dry out naturally as this risks more brown leaves forming. If you want to make it super easy consider investing in a moisture monitor, these little things give you all of the data you need to keep your Snow Queen Pothos happy and healthy.
Temperature extremes.
Snow 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. You should also keep them away from heating vents and radiators as the hot dry air that is produced can quickly turn your Snow Queen Pothos’s leaves brown. We recommend buying a digital thermometer if you don’t already have one as these can really help spot any fluctuations.
Sunburn.
Snow Queen Pothos plants thrive in bright areas but can show symptoms of sunburn if they receive too much intense light. This often occurs during the summer when the sun is a lot stronger. Unfortunately, sunburn scars are permanent but moving your Snow Queen Pothos to a slightly shadier spot will prevent any more leaves from turning brown.
Lack of humidity.
Snow Queen Pothos can often develop brown leaf tips if the humidity level is too low. Luckily, solving the issue is actually quite easy as there are a few different ways you can boost the humidity. The best is through misting your plant every few days but you might also choose to build a pebble tray, move your Snow Queen Pothos to the bathroom where the humidity is higher or invest in a humidifier to keep a stable humidity level.
Chemical sensitivity.
If humidity isn’t an issue but your Snow Queen Pothos is still developing brown leaf tips, then your plant might be struggling with the chemicals in the water. If you live in a hard water area, the high levels of chlorine and fluoride in the water can be causing the brown leaf tips. The best thing to do here is to use purified water or rainwater.
Causes of yellow leaves on a Snow Queen Pothos
Overwatering.
Too much water is one of the main reasons why Snow Queen Pothos plants develop yellow leaves. If you accidentally overwater, or the drainage holes are blocked by something then the roots may start to rot. This prevents your Snow Queen Pothos from getting any of the needed nutrients which causes yellowing in the leaves. Take your Snow Queen Pothos out of its pot to double-check this is the cause and replace if waterlogged. In future, to prevent more yellow leaves, make sure the potting mix has time to dry out between waterings.
Pests.
Whilst rarer than some of the other problems, your Snow Queen Pothos’ leaves may be turning yellow due to a pest infestation. If you notice yellow spots forming on the leaves then could definitely be a sign of pests. Give your plant a once over with a magnifying glass so you can spot the pests and isolate your plant if you spot any as you don’t want them jumping onto your other plants. To treat the issue, spray your plant with neem oil daily for a week. We also recommend removing the worst affected leaves to try to control the problem.
Natural ageing.
If it’s only the oldest top leaves on your Snow Queen Pothos that are turning yellow then this may be simply natural ageing. Over time, your Snow Queen Pothos will drop some of its oldest leaves in favour of growing bigger healthier new ones at the end of the vine. These will often turn yellow before falling off the plant. This is completely natural and isn’t something you did wrong. As long as your plant is growing more leaves than the ones that are turning yellow, then this shouldn’t be anything to worry about.
Your Snow Queen Pothos could lose leaves because…
Overwatering.
Too much water can also lead to your Snow Queen Pothos losing leaves. If you notice the stems and leaves becoming a little softer than usual this may be because the roots are beginning to rot. To figure out if overwatering is the cause of the loss of leaves, check the moisture levels in the soil immediately. Due to the damage to the root system, your Snow Queen Pothos may take a little while to fully recover and grow new healthy leaves. But be patient and you should start to see improvements after a few weeks.
Cold temperatures.
Another reason why your Snow Queen Pothos is losing leaves is shock caused by cold temperatures. Although they can adapt to a range of environments, being exposed to a constant stream of cold air can cause quite serious issues. We recommend using a digital thermometer to keep tabs on the temperature fluctuations that might be causing your Snow Queen Pothos to lose leaves.
Natural ageing.
If you have noticed that your Snow Queen Pothos is losing a few leaves, but it’s not a constant issue and only happens every now and again, then it might just be natural ageing. It’s totally normal for your Snow Queen Pothos to lose one or two leaves a year as your plant prioritises energy for new healthy leaves at the bottom of the vine. Monitor the rate of leaf drop to make sure it’s not increasing as this would suggest there is something else going on.
Your Snow Queen Pothos could be drooping due to…
Underwatering.
The most common issue that will cause your Snow Queen Pothos to droop is a lack of water. When it comes to watering we normally recommend a little and often view that should keep your Pothos happy. Make sure to give your Snow Queen Pothos plenty of water and you’ll see it spring back to life in as little as a few hours. Consider amending your watering schedule if drooping is a common occurrence as you might not be watering frequently enough.
Shock and stress.
A Snow Queen Pothos can also begin to droop due to stress and shock. This can be caused by a variety of issues so have a think about if anything has suddenly changed for your plant. This could be moving to a new spot or home, a sudden drop in temperature or light levels. As long as the care and environment is right for your Snow Queen Pothos, it should stop drooping in a few days.
Why does my Snow Queen Pothos have curling leaves?
Underwatering.
A common reason Snow Queen Pothos curl their leaves is in response to a lack of moisture. By curling their leaves, your plant is reducing the moisture lost through their leaves and allowing it to hold onto as much moisture as possible. Check the soil to see if it feels dry and increase watering frequency. This should help them uncurl and prevent them from curling more in future.
High temperatures.
Another cause of curling leaves is in response to heat stress. If your Snow Queen Pothos is too close to radiators, heating vents or cookers then this might be the cause of the leaves curling. Use a digital thermometer to monitor any extreme temperatures.
Direct sunlight.
As well as extreme temperatures, too much direct light can also cause your leaves to curl up in response. Make sure that your Snow Queen Pothos isn’t receiving any direct light during summer as this can not only cause curling leaves, but also brown patches if they become burnt.
Those are the most common problems that impact Snow Queen Pothos plants. The key to reviving your plant is catching the issue early which is why it’s important to keep a very close eye on your plant to spot early warning signs. We tend to do this whenever we water our plants to ensure it’s a regular check-up.
To learn more about how to best care for your plant and prevent any problems from occurring, check out our Snow Queen Pothos care guide.
