The prayer Plant also known as Maranta leuconeura is a houseplant famous for its leaves this plant folds up its leaves like praying hands at night and opens up in the morning. When you see yellow leaves on prayer plants that means that something is really wrong. In this article, I will try and cover what are the different causes for the Maranta plant to turn yellow and how to fix the issue. There are multiple other plants from the Marantaceae plant family like Cetanthe, Calathea, and Stromanthe which also have the same common name as the prayer plant and the problems and solutions mentioned are applicable to them also.
Causes of Yellow Leaves on Prayer Plant
Too Cold Temperatures
Prayer plants are tropical plants and so not only can they not handle frost but they are also very sensitive to cold temperatures and their leaves may start turning yellow if you have exposed them to temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal temperature range for prayer plants is 65 degrees Fahrenheit to 80 degrees Fahrenheit which is where you should keep them but if the temperature starts falling below 60 degrees Fahrenheit immediately move your plant indoors.
If the plant is kept indoors make sure that you keep it away from windows that have drafts and doors as drafts and temperature fluctuations caused by the opening and closing of doors can cause chill injury and turn your plant yellow.
Soil Drainage being Poor or Potting Medium Is Heavy
The maranta prayer plant is a tropical plant and loves moisture but if the soil has poor drainage soil will remain waterlogged which will cause the prayer plant leaves to turn yellow and even die so focus on good soil drainage is a must.
Even if the soil is well draining but if you water the pot while it is kept in a saucer and leave the water in the saucer soil will absorb more water from the saucer thus increasing moisture in the soil instead of removing its excess water and leading to yellow leaves. To fix this problem avoid watering the plant when the pot is kept in a saucer instead when you are watering the plant remove it from the saucer water it and then let the water drain out and only then put the pot back on saucer.
Sometimes poor drainage is due to the potting medium being too heavy which might lead to a lack of oxygen as well as poor drainage. Make sure you use coir and peat-based potting medium which is airy and well-draining.
Another issue is having a pot that does not have drainage holes at the bottom as such pots will have poor drainage and water will stay in the pot at the bottom with gravel and rocks leading to the yellowing of leaves.
Overwatering
If the Maranta prayer plant is overwatered the water will make the soil waterlogged and the plant will suffer from root rot which will make the plant leaves turn yellow and have a sickly appearance. The correct watering schedule for them is to check the pot twice a week and see if the soil is moist or if the pot is heavy don’t water it but if it is dry then water the plant. The watering requirement for them is more than the average houseplant but you still find the sweet spot and prevent overwatering.
Lack of Humidity
While too much moisture is a problem too little moisture can also cause the same problems of yellowing of leaves for all prayer-plants of the Marantaceae family. Lack of humidity is a problem usually in winter months as the indoor air in winter becomes too dry and you will see the edge of leaves of prayer plants turning yellow and sometimes even brown also. The ideal humidity range for a prayer plant is between 40 to 60 percent and the best way to check it use a hygrometer. If you find that you have a humidity problem the best way to fix it is by misting the plants, running a humidifier, or using a humidity tray. Another option is to relocate the plant to a more humid area of your house like a bathroom or kitchen if you get enough sunlight in those rooms. This problem with humidity is usually only seen if you live in an area with long and arid winters
Chlorosis: Soil pH Too High Or Lack of Iron
If the new leaves of your plant are coming out yellow then maybe your soil is alkaline and your plant is facing a lack of iron. If the soil pH is too high the plant cannot absorb iron from the soil and it will not be able to produce enough chlorophyll which may cause plant leaves to turn yellow this is also called chlorosis. To fix this you can add a liquid fertilizer containing iron or a chelated iron product.
You can also check if the pH of the soil is around 6 and if it is not you can shift your soil to a more acidic medium like coir and peat-based ones.
Fungal Diseases & Pests
The cucumber mosaic virus can cause yellow leaves of the maranta prayer plant with older leaves developing a yellow line pattern and newer leaves coming out small and distorted there is no fix for this as you will have to destroy the plant to prevent this virus from spreading to other plants.
A Fungal disease called Helminthosporium leaf spot can also cause small yellow spots which may turn tan with yellow halos. This disease is usually caused because the plant has been overwatered or has been left in standing water. To fix this you can correct the watering and apply neem oil to the plants.
Spider mites can also cause yellowness on the foilage
Stress From Plant Care
Sometimes the cause of yellow leaves on your maranta prayer plant is due to some problems in caring for the plant like too bright lighting or soil having too much phosphate or fluoride which can cause leaf on the margins to burn and turn yellow.
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