Nurse your Red Prayer Plant back to lush green health by uncovering and fixing care mistakes!
Prayer plants, also known as Maranta leuconeura are beautiful indoor houseplants known for their broad green leaves with striking patterns and veining. But nothing is more distressing for prayer plant owners than when those gorgeous leaves suddenly start turning yellow.
There are a number of reasons why the leaves on your prayer plant may be changing from vibrant green to a sickly yellow hue. The good news is that with the right troubleshooting, most causes of yellowing leaves can be quickly diagnosed and corrected to get your plant back to its healthy vibrant self.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover the most common causes of yellowing prayer plant leaves and effective solutions to fix them.
What Causes Yellow Leaves on Prayer Plants?
Here are the most common reasons prayer plant leaves can start to turn yellow and what you can do about them:
Improper Lighting
Prayer plants need bright, filtered light to thrive. Too much harsh direct sun will scorch and fade the leaves. On the flip side, too little light means the leaves can’t photosynthesize properly and will start turning pale and yellow.
The fix? Move your prayer plant to a spot with ample bright, indirect sunlight. An east or west-facing window is ideal. If natural light is limited, supplement with a grow light 12-14 hours per day. Adjust the distance (12-18 inches above the leaves) so the light intensity is just right.
Underwatering
Letting your prayer plant dry out too much between waterings can cause yellowing, browning, and curling leaves. These tropical plants like moist soil but not soggy.
Check the soil by sticking your finger in the top inch. Water thoroughly whenever it’s partly dry. Use room temperature filtered or distilled water to prevent buildup of chemicals that can burn the foliage. Improve drainage by ensuring the pot has holes and water slowly until it trickles out the bottom.
Overwatering
Too much water prevents the roots from getting oxygen. Root rot and fungal diseases that damage the foliage can occur. Leaves may turn yellow or pale green and wilt or curl.
Allow the soil to partially dry out before watering again. Water less frequently. Make sure excess water can quickly drain out holes in the bottom of the pot. Avoid standing water in the saucer. Consider repotting in a container with better drainage if needed.
Low Humidity
Native to the humid tropics, prayer plants need high humidity around 50-60% to thrive. When the air is too dry, the leaves react by turning brown at the tips and edges. Prolonged low moisture causes yellowing leaves.
Boost humidity levels by misting the leaves daily or using a pebble tray. Group plants together to create a microclimate. Invest in a humidifier. Avoid dry heat from furnaces, fireplaces, or heating vents.
Temperature Extremes
Prayer plants prefer warm temperatures between 60-80°F. Exposure to cold drafts or cooler temperatures below 60°F can abruptly cause yellowing or browned leaves.
Keep your plant in the warm areas of your home away from drafty windows, vents, or air conditioners. Move outdoors only after danger of frost is passed. Avoid sudden temperature drops.
Fertilizer Problems
Too much fertilizer can burn the tips and edges of leaves, causing browning. It can also build up in the soil to toxic levels leading to yellow foliage.
On the other hand, if your prayer plant isn’t getting enough nutrients, the older leaves can turn pale green or yellow. This is common when the plant becomes pot bound.
Use a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength every 2-4 weeks during spring and summer. In winter, fertilize monthly. Repot in fresh soil every 2-3 years as needed.
Chemical Damage
Chemicals and salts in tap water as well as fluoride and chlorine can build up over time and burn the leaf tips and margins, leading to browning.
Avoid this by using distilled, filtered, or rain water. If using tap, allow water to sit out overnight before applying so chemicals can dissipate.
Pests
Spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, and other common houseplant pests can infest prayer plants and cause visible damage to the leaves, including spots, stippling, and yellowing.
Inspect plants frequently and treat any pests found immediately. Remove with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Use insecticidal soap or neem oil sprays as needed for heavy infestations.
Diseases
If kept in conditions with poor air circulation and inadequate sunlight, prayer plants can fall victim to fungal diseases like botrytis, powdery mildew, or leaf spot. This causes spots, discoloration, yellowing, and withering of leaves.
Improve growing conditions by allowing soil to dry adequately between waterings. Increase air circulation with a fan. Provide plenty bright filtered sunlight. Remove and destroy any severely affected leaves.
Normal Leaf Aging
As part of the natural growth process, prayer plant leaves will eventually age and die. Older leaves turning entirely yellow are usually a sign of natural senescence. The plant is simply prioritizing new growth.
Pinch off aging yellow leaves at the base of the stem. As long as the majority of foliage still appears healthy and new growth is occurring regularly, this normal leaf loss is not cause for concern.
Shock from Repotting or Propagation
The stress of being divided and repotted or transitioning from water propagation to soil can cause some initial yellowing of leaves on new prayer plant cuttings or divisions as the plant recovers.
As long as you care for the plant properly after propagation, the yellowing should resolve itself within a week or two. Avoid exposing roots to air for too long when repotting and provide ideal growing conditions.
How to Prevent Yellow Leaves on Prayer Plants
While the occasional yellow leaf due to aging is normal, you can take proactive steps to keep your prayer plant lush and green long-term:
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Provide bright, indirect light from an east or west window. Supplement with a grow light if natural light is scarce.
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Maintain warm temperatures between 60-80°F year-round.
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Use a humidifier and pebble trays to keep humidity around 50-60%. Mist leaves daily.
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Water thoroughly when the top inch of soil is partly dry. Ensure pot has drainage.
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Use distilled, filtered, or rain water rather than tap water.
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Fertilize regularly with a balanced liquid fertilizer during spring through fall.
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Repot every 2-3 years in fresh potting mix for good drainage.
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Inspect frequently for pests and treat promptly when found.
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Prune off any leaves showing signs of disease and increase air circulation.
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Move plant away from heaters, AC vents, and drafty windows.
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Allow soil to dry adequately between waterings to prevent diseases.
What to Do if Your Prayer Plant Has Yellow Leaves
If despite your best efforts, those frustrating yellow leaves start showing up:
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Remove any severely damaged yellow leaves by pinching them off at the base of the stem.
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Assess growing conditions and troubleshoot potential causes like Improper lighting, overwatering, low humidity, pests etc.
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Adjust care to resolve the underlying issue, whether it’s altering the light, improving drainage, increasing humidity, treating pests, or changing watering habits.
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Prune off any remaining partially yellowed leaves that detract from the plant’s appearance while leaving unaffected healthy green leaves intact.
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Be patient and consistent with optimized care. The prayer plant should start showing signs of recovery within a few weeks as damaged leaves are replaced with new healthy green growth.
When to Worry About Yellow Prayer Plant Leaves
A few yellow leaves here and there, especially on older growth, is usually nothing to fret about. But if you notice the following, it likely indicates a larger underlying problem:
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Multiple leaves rapidly turning yellow at the same time
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Yellowing spreading from older to newer growth
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Other symptoms like wilting, spots, webbing, or curling accompanying the yellowing
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Yellowed leaves falling off or new growth stalling out
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Yellowing not improving over several weeks despite your best efforts
If your prayer plant shows those warning signs, it needs some serious troubleshooting and TLC to nurse it back to health. Don’t give up hope! Just get proactive with fixing any issues in its care, environment, or potting mix to rejuvenate the plant. With time and patience, you can get those prayer plant leaves back to their gorgeous green glory.
Frequency of Entities:
prayer plant: 28
leaves: 27
yellow: 24
yellow leaves: 15
plant leaves: 7
️ Recognizing the Culprits
Mealybugs, nematodes, and other pests can turn leaves yellow faster than a hot day can go by. Look for sticky residues, webbing, or the critters themselves. Diseases often come with spotting, wilting, or powdery substances.
Once youve caught them red-handed, its time for action. Insecticidal soaps or neem oil can escort pests off the premises. For diseases, prune the affected leaves—think of it as surgical removal of the problem.
Prevention beats cure every time. Ensure good air circulation and avoid wetting the leaves to discourage fungal freeloaders. Make sure your Prayer Plants’ environment is as stable as a rock. A stressed plant is a plant that will get sick.
Adjusting Plant Placement
Move your plant to a location where it can bask in the glow of indirect sunlight. It’s more like setting up a cozy reading nook than putting something in the direct sunlight.
Consider using grow lights during the darker months to provide a steady source of light. And remember, your plant enjoys a bit of a tropical vibe. Boost humidity with a pebble tray or humidifier to keep those leaves from getting dry and cranky.
Browning tips that curl up are a telltale sign of heat stress or too much direct light. If your plant looks like it’s been in the sun too long, you might want to move it somewhere else in your home.