The Dracaena plant is an ornamental plant that grows both indoors and outdoors. It usually lives in the subtropical climate and has strap-like leaves emerging from a thick stem.
A common problem with Dracaena is that the leaves may turn yellow. If you are facing this issue and want to know how to fix it, here is your answer.
Dracaena grows best in moderately moist, moist soil with indirect direct sunlight. It also requires monthly fertilization.
A dracaena’s leaves can turn yellow for many reasons, the most common being excess water, it likes to stay moist and not soggy.
Other reasons include too much salt in the soil, exposure to dry heat, direct sunlight, and poor water quality.
For more information on how yellowing occurs and how to fix it, keep reading.
Contents
Why is my Dracaena turning yellow?
Dracaena is an excellent houseplant that is relatively easy to care for. It does well in indirect full sun and can tolerate low light with a slower growth rate.
The plant has light green to light green variegated leaves that curl upwards from a central wooden trunk.
Dracaena leaves can turn yellow for a variety of reasons. Here are some reasons as well as ways to correct yellowing:
1) excess water
Excessive watering is one of the main reasons why dracaena leaves turn yellow. Excess water causes the leaves to turn pale yellow. The leaves become limp, lose their firmness and begin to sag and deform.
Yellow-brown spots may also form on the leaves. The upper leaves are less affected than the lower ones. Remember that overwatering not only causes the leaves to turn yellow, but also makes your plant more susceptible to root rot and mold.
On the other hand, immersion does not cause yellowing, but turns the leaves brown and crispy.
Resolve excess water:
To remedy yellowing caused by overwatering, water only when the plant needs it. If the soil is too wet or soggy, it will give off an unpleasant smell.
Smell the top 2 inches of soil for moisture, water only when soil appears dry. Organic matter turns black in the presence of additional water.
Adjust your watering schedule and don’t forget to check for clogged pores. Inspect the roots when removing the plant from the pot.
Remove them when the roots are rotten and look mushy and translucent. Yellow leaves can be collected this way.
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2) Natural yellowing
The leaves naturally turn yellow and fall off with age. New fresh leaves that emerge from the top are bright green, while dying ones gradually fade from green to pale yellow.
Aging is inevitable and your plant will have old yellow leaves.
3) Exposure to dry air
With prolonged exposure to hot, dry air, leaf edges turn brown to yellow.
The crusting begins at the edges of the leaves and gradually invades the entire leaf. Yellowing caused by heat exposure cannot be reversed. The plant does not like too low humidity.
Resolve exposure to dry air
You can avoid heat yellowing by not placing the plant in hot, windy hallways. Keep the plant away from heat vents and radiators.
Place the plant in a pebble tray with water. Do not let the bottom of the pot sink into the water.
As the water evaporates from the pebble tray, the humidity around the plant increases. Misting the plant regularly and using a humidifier can increase plant survival.
Also remember that exposing the plant to cold drafts is also a risk for the plant. Therefore, do not place the plant in front of an air conditioner or in cold weather outdoors.
If humidity is the main problem, a pebble tray under the plant can fix the yellowing in a few days.
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4) Sudden temperature changes
If the temperature changes suddenly, your Dracaena will not be able to cope and the leaves may turn yellow.
Dracaena does best in a constant temperature of 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperature changes are a blow to most plants and hamper their ability to fight.
Handles sudden temperature changes
Provide consistent temperatures for your dracaena plant to prevent leaves from yellowing. Do not place the card near open windows when the outside temperature fluctuates greatly.
When moving the plant from room to room or indoors to outdoors, make sure the temperature in the new location is ideal and move the plant gradually to allow it to adjust.
5) Bad water quality
Poor water quality can also cause dracaena leaves to turn yellow. Poor quality water means water that contains too many minerals.
In particular, the abundance of minerals such as fluoride can cause the leaves of the dracaena plant to turn yellow. Excess minerals can also settle on the leaves and weaken them.
How to fix poor water quality:
Do not use tap water to water your Dracaena. Instead, use distilled water or use rainwater. Look for mineral deposits on the leaves to confirm the problem.
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6) Salt buildup
Fertilizer salts, for example superphosphateit can also cause yellowing of dracaena leaves.
Perlite-containing potting soil used for this plant may also cause yellowing or browning, as this type of soil is also high in superphosphates.
How to Fix Salt Buildup:
Use liquid fertilizer instead of solid fertilizers for your plant. Take the right space between fertilizing your plant.
If you find the soil has too much fertilizer, consider overwatering it and draining the water at the bottom of the pot.
Observe the plant for a few days after running water over the soil. If the condition does not improve and there is still fertilizer in the soil, consider transplanting the plant to soil with less minerals.
7) Pest control
Improper watering schedules and poor growing conditions weaken the dracaena plant and make it vulnerable to attack by spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects.
The insects suck the sap and weaken the plant. This leads to the leaves of your dracaena plant turning yellow. Pests can also cut the leaves.
How to Fix a Pest Infestation
Get rid of pests on the plant by giving the plant a fairly strong rain of water. It would shake off the pests. Remove excessively damaged leaves and stems.
Use an insecticidal soap made from neem oil or use a permethrin solution to ward off pests. Keep your affected plants separate from your healthy plants.
Avoid grouping them and place them outside with good ventilation. This would prevent reinfection.
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8) direct sunlight
Strong direct sunlight falling on Dracaena leaves can cause leaf burn. The leaves then turn yellow and brown. Excessive light can easily damage sunlight-sensitive plants like Dracaena.
Direct sunlight troubleshooting:
Place the plant out of direct sunlight, not outside or near a well-lit window. Keep the plant in medium indirect sunlight to prevent the plant from drying out completely.
9) Insufficient light
Insufficient light can cause pale, yellow leaves. In low light conditions, it is difficult for the plant to synthesize food and produce energy.
Insufficient light troubleshooting:
Do not burn the plant, but provide enough sunlight to maintain the plant’s chlorophyll production.
While the plant will thrive in moderate to low light, depriving it entirely would inevitably lead to yellowing of the leaves.
If you need more information, see our article on Dracaena marginata light requirements.
10) Fungal and Bacterial Infections
Fungi and bacteria can attack Dracaena in wet and humid conditions. The fungi rob the plant of its nutrients and turn the leaves pale to yellow with brown spots.
Bacteria can also damage the plant, causing it to turn brown or yellow.
How to Cure Fungal and Bacterial Infections
Keep the infected plant away from other healthy plants. Use fungicide sprays on the plant. It can cure the disease. Prune and remove the damaged part of the plant that has not healed by this method.
Take care of cleanliness and keep infected plants away from your healthy dracaena plant to avoid future infection.
final thoughts
Dracaena is an ornamental plant placed indoors for its beautiful foliage and contrasting colors. The plant has green strap-like leaves.
Setting your watering schedule, using tap water or distilled water, placing the plant in medium indirect sunlight, and keeping the plant sufficiently moist can help your plant benefit and regain its color.
Don’t worry if old leaves turn yellow. It’s your natural aging process. Just provide good growing conditions and you won’t see any yellowing on the leaves.
Before you go, here are some other related articles that I encourage you to read below to solve more of your gardening problems:
What is the best soil for a Dracaena Marginata?
How to Care for a Dracaena Outdoors
How to Save a Dying Dracaena Marginata Plant
About the Author:
sad gosling
Saad is an avid gardener and a great lover of plants, animals, photography and people. He currently focuses on indoor plant photography and capturing beautiful landscapes. Write and rewrite feature articles on nature and science.