Identify What's
Troubling Your Plants
Describe what you're seeing in three steps — get the most likely causes and proven natural fixes.
The easiest way to figure out why a plant is yellowing is to look at where the yellowing starts and how it spreads. Plants use yellowing — called chlorosis — as a universal distress signal, but each cause leaves a distinct pattern. Work through these three tests in order.
Look at the overall structure of the plant. Is the yellowing happening at the base or at the very tips?
Look closely at a single yellowing leaf. What color are the veins?
If the lower leaves are yellowing, use this test to tell the difference between too much water and too little.
| Pattern you see | Most likely cause |
|---|---|
| Lower leaves turn yellow, dry, and crispy | Underwatering |
| Lower leaves turn yellow, wilted, and mushy | Overwatering / Root Rot |
| Lower leaves turn pale yellow but stay intact | Nitrogen Deficiency |
| New upper leaves turn yellow, veins stay sharp green | Iron Deficiency |
| Random yellow spots, speckles, or patches | Pests or Fungal Leaf Spots |
Small, fuzzy, white cottony masses clustered hidden under leaves, along veins, or at stem joints; sticky residue (honeydew) on leaves; stunted plant growth.
Tiny, slender, dark insects; leaves take on a silvery, bleached, or metallic texture; small black speckles of fecal waste on leaf surfaces.
Small, hard, immobile brown or tan bumps attached firmly to stems and leaf veins; sticky clear residue on or below the plant; yellowing leaves.
Larger, distinct shield-shaped insects visible on foliage; localized yellow or brown spotting; dimpled or deformed fruit and scarred plant tissue.
Tiny insects (approx. 1/3 inch) with clear, lace-like wings; yellow or whitish stippling on the tops of leaves; dark, varnish-like waste spots on leaf undersides.
Fine, dusty, micro-webbing on the undersides of leaves or at stem joints; leaves look dull, specked with yellow, and eventually dry out and drop.
Sudden wilting despite wet soil; yellowing lower leaves; mushy, brown, or black foul-smelling roots; collapsing stems at the soil line.
Small reddish-brown spots form on leaves; the center dies and drops out completely, leaving clean, round holes that resemble pellet-gun damage.
Leaves distort, pucker, and wrinkle into thick, blistered shapes; affected foliage turns bright red, pink, or pale yellow before dropping early.
Rough, elongated, swollen olive-green growths on twigs and branches that gradually turn hard, coal-black, and encircle the wood.
Rapidly spreading dark, water-soaked lesions on stems and leaves; rapid plant collapse; slimy root systems from waterlogged conditions.
Stunted growth, yellowing leaves, and wilting during heat despite adequate moisture; small swellings or knots (galls) visible on the roots when dug up.
Excess: Crispy, dark brown leaf tips and margins. Deficiency: Pale green or yellow leaves, stunted growth, or purple tints on older foliage.
Bleached, washed-out foliage; paper-thin, crispy, or scorched patches on leaves directly facing the light source.
Foliage suddenly looks dark, water-soaked, and limp; leaves turn black, dark brown, or translucent within 24 to 48 hours of cold exposure.
Crispy, papery brown edges all around leaf margins; curling leaf tips; sudden dropping of healthy-looking green leaves from the bottom up.
Clean tears, frayed edges, or jagged slits in leaves; broken or bent stems; scraped bark with no signs of pests or spreading discoloration.
Blossoms fade, shrivel, and drop off; occasional yellowing and dropping of the oldest, lowest leaves while the rest of the plant looks vibrant.