Plant care guide
Philodendron Yellow Leaves: Overwatering, Light or Hunger?
Updated · First published
Why are my Philodendron leaves turning yellow?
Yellow lower leaves on a philodendron usually point to overwatering or too little light; Clemson Extension names both. Other causes are a nutrient shortage, a cold spell, a dry spell, or sap-feeding pests. One old leaf yellowing on a healthy plant is normal.
What to do first
Check the potting mix first. If it is wet or the pot sits in water, stop watering and check the roots. If the mix is fine, move the plant to brighter indirect light, keep it warm, feed it during the growing season, and check leaf undersides for pests.
Philodendrons are tough, so yellow leaves can come as a surprise. The fix depends on which leaves are yellow and how wet the mix is. Check both before you water again.
Clemson Extension’s philodendron factsheet gives the short answer. Yellowing of lower leaves, with the growing tips dying, can be caused by too little light or overwatering. It adds that too much or too little water, plus insects and mites, are the main problems indoors.
Match the yellowing to the cause
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| One old leaf at the base, rest of the plant healthy | Normal leaf shedding |
| Lower leaves yellow, mix wet or pot standing in water, soft stems | Overwatering and root rot |
| Lower leaves yellow, long bare stems, small new leaves, dim spot | Too little light |
| Older leaves with a yellow V from the stalk to the edge, green midrib | Magnesium shortage |
| Pale, smaller leaves overall | Nitrogen shortage |
| Lower leaves yellow after a cold window, draft or cold journey | Cold |
| Lower leaves yellow and crisp, mix bone-dry, soil pulled from pot | Too dry |
| Fine speckling, webbing, sticky leaves, cottony or scaly insects | Pests |
Normal shedding. Iowa State University Extension’s environmental diagnosis guide says a few older leaves dropping from an otherwise healthy plant is normal.
Overwatering. Clemson says root rot usually comes from a mix that drains slowly or from watering too often. The RHS philodendron growing guide says root rot causes yellowing leaves and can end in collapse. NC State Extension’s heartleaf philodendron profile notes root rot in overly wet soil.
Too little light. The RHS says philodendrons in poor light become leggy, with fewer, smaller leaves. UF/IFAS Extension’s philodendron guide (EP150) says they tolerate light as low as 75 foot-candles, but 150 foot-candles or more keeps leaf color and size. Our philodendron lighting guide explains how to judge this.
Nutrients. UF/IFAS links V-shaped yellowing on older leaves to magnesium deficiency, and yellowing with smaller leaves to nitrogen deficiency. Our nutrient deficiency guide covers each pattern.
Cold. UF/IFAS lists yellowing of lower leaves after several hours at 1–4 °C (33–40 °F). The RHS advises keeping philodendrons above 15 °C (59 °F) and away from cold draughts.
Too dry. Clemson Extension’s disorders factsheet notes lower leaves may yellow if a plant stays too dry for a long time.
Pests. Clemson lists aphids, mealybugs, scales and spider mites on philodendrons.
What to do
If the mix is wet:
- Stop watering and empty any saucer or outer pot. Clemson says never let philodendrons stand in water.
- Slide the plant out and check the roots. Clemson describes rotted roots as brown to black and soft. If only a few are affected, cut them out and repot in sterile mix.
- Repot in a pot only a few centimetres larger than the root ball. The RHS warns that a much bigger pot stays wet and can rot the roots.
- Water again when the surface has dried. The RHS advises letting it dry between waterings.
If the mix is fine:
- Move the plant to bright, indirect light. The RHS warns direct summer sun can scorch the leaves.
- Keep it warm and away from drafts and radiators.
- Feed with a dilute houseplant fertilizer during the growing season, as Clemson suggests.
- Inspect stems and leaf undersides, isolate the plant, and treat any pests you confirm.
If the mix is bone-dry: water until it drains from the base. Virginia Cooperative Extension’s watering guide suggests two or three slow applications if water runs straight through.
After the fix
A yellow leaf will not turn green again. Judge progress by the next leaves. UF/IFAS advises not to repot or feed a newly bought philodendron for about four weeks, so give a new plant time to settle.
Brown tips rather than yellowing are covered in our philodendron brown leaf tips guide. Spots with a defined edge are covered in our leaf spot guide.
References
- Clemson Cooperative Extension, HGIC 1509: Philodendron
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Philodendron hederaceum
- RHS: How to grow philodendrons
- UF/IFAS Extension: Cultural Guidelines for Commercial Production of Interiorscape Philodendron (EP150)
- Clemson Cooperative Extension, HGIC 2251: Houseplant Diseases & Disorders
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: Properly Watering Container Houseplants (SPES-804)
- Iowa State University Extension: Diagnosing Houseplant Problems from Improper Environmental Conditions
How this guide was put together: Clemson Extension, NC State Extension, RHS, UF/IFAS Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension and Iowa State University Extension guidance.