Why Are My Pothos Leaves Turning Yellow?
Pothos is one of the easiest houseplants to grow, which is why a yellow leaf on one causes so much worry. The good news is that a pothos is very good at recovering, and the cause is almost always one of a handful of things. The trick is working out which one, because the fixes pull in opposite directions.
Start by looking at where the yellow leaves are, how many there are, and what the soil feels like. Those three clues solve most cases.
One or two old leaves at the base
If the yellowing is limited to one or two of the oldest leaves near the soil, and the rest of the plant looks healthy and is putting out new growth, relax. Plants shed old leaves as they grow, and a golden pothos is no exception. Pull the yellow leaf off once it comes away easily and carry on as before.
Several yellow leaves and soil that stays damp
This is the most common cause by far: too much water. When the soil stays wet for days, the roots cannot breathe, they start to rot, and the plant drops its lower leaves first. The leaves often turn a soft, bright yellow, sometimes with brown patches, and the stems at the base may feel soft.
Push a finger two inches into the soil. If it is damp several days after watering, stop watering until the top couple of inches are dry. Make sure the pot has a drainage hole and that it is not standing in a saucer of water. If you are not sure you are getting it right, our page on how to water properly covers the basics, and a moisture meter takes the guesswork out of it by measuring moisture down where the roots are.
If the plant keeps declining even after the soil dries, tip it out of its pot and look at the roots. Healthy roots are firm and pale. Brown, mushy roots that pull apart have rotted. Trim them away, repot into fresh, dry mix, and water sparingly while it recovers.
Yellow leaves, crisp edges and very dry soil
Pothos can also yellow from too little water, though it is less common. The difference is in the texture: underwatered leaves tend to turn yellow and then crisp and brown at the edges, and the soil will be dry and pulling away from the sides of the pot. The vines droop noticeably before it gets to that point.
Give it a thorough soak, letting water run through the drainage hole, and it will usually perk up within hours. If you tend to forget, or are away a lot, a self-watering pot can keep the soil from swinging between soaked and parched, though pothos is happy enough with a regular drink.
Pale, washed-out leaves all over
If the whole plant is turning pale yellow-green rather than dropping individual leaves, look at the light. Pothos copes with dim spots, but a plant kept in low light for a long time grows slowly, loses its gold marbling, and its leaves can fade. Move it closer to a window, out of direct sun, and new growth should come in greener.
Too much light causes a different pattern: bleached, yellowish patches on the leaves facing a sunny window, sometimes with brown, scorched spots. Pull the plant back a few feet or filter the light with a sheer curtain.
Yellowing new leaves
When the newest leaves come in yellow while older ones stay green, the plant may be short of nutrients, especially if it has been in the same soil for several years. Feed it with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength once a month during spring and summer, and consider repotting it into fresh mix next spring.
A sudden flush of yellow leaves
A pothos that drops several leaves at once, soon after a change, is usually reacting to the change itself. A move to a new room, a cold draft from a door or window, or a spot next to a radiator can all do it. Give it a stable, warm position away from drafts and heat sources and it should settle within a few weeks.
What not to do
- Do not water more because the plant looks unwell. Yellow leaves are a sign of too much water more often than too little.
- Do not repot a stressed plant into a much bigger pot. The extra soil stays wet and makes root problems worse.
- Do not feed a plant whose roots are struggling. Fertilizer can burn damaged roots.
The quick checklist
- One or two old leaves: normal. Ignore.
- Several leaves, damp soil: too much water. Let it dry and check the roots.
- Crisp edges, dry soil: too little water. Soak it.
- Pale all over, slow growth: too little light. Move it closer to a window.
- Bleached patches: too much sun. Move it back.
- New leaves yellow: hungry. Feed it in the growing season.
Once the cause is fixed, the yellow leaves will not turn green again, but new growth will come in healthy. Trim the old ones off and give the plant a few weeks. Pothos is forgiving, and it nearly always bounces back.