A few days ago, as I checked my plants, I saw my Rhaphidophora leaves turning yellow. The yellowing began at the tips of the leaves and progressed inwards.
A yellow leaf may not appear to offer many hints about the underlying problem at first look.
I first observed the leaves becoming darker, and then they became more yellow, black, and brown a few days later.
Generally, Rhaphidophora leaves turning yellow could be due to poor watering habits, nutrition deficiency, improper lighting, overfertilization, and unstable temperature and humidity.
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This article discusses the various causes of your Rhaphidophora leaves turning yellow.
Table of Contents
Find out what’s causing the yellowing, and if you identify it early enough, you can save your plant and restore it to its former glory.
So what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!
Is it Normal for Rhaphidophora Leaves to Turn Yellow?
Observe and see if your Rhaphodophora is still producing new leaf and appears to be in relatively good health, and only one or two leaves are turning yellow at a time.
It’s natural for the Rhaphodophora’s older leaves to become yellow and finally fall off as part of the plant’s natural aging process.
It is usual for old Rhaphidophora leaves to turn yellow and pale before being replaced by new ones. Rhaphidophora leaves turning yellow is an everyday occurrence if the yellowing occurs regularly.
However, if the yellowing is persistent and your plant appears to be suffering, it’s time to be concerned and identify the causes.
What Causes Rhaphidophora Leaves to Turn Yellow?
After having the plant for a while, we may not care for it as much as we initially bought it home.
And this lack of care will eventually manifest, with one of the results being the plant turning yellow and unappealing.
I have listed the various causes for Rhaphidophora leaves turning yellow based on my personal experience.
1. Overwatering the Plant
If your Rhaphidophora’s yellow leaves are wilting or starting to show brown spots, it may have been overwatered.
Over an extended period, excess water in the soil prevents the roots from getting the oxygen they require to develop and stay healthy, resulting in the yellowing of leaves.
Solution
The most prevalent cause of Rhaphidophora leaves becoming yellow is also due to poor drainage. So, make sure your pot has drainage holes.
Adding organic material, such as compost, to your soil will help it drain better. Hilling, containers, and raised beds can also help the soil drain easier.
Preventive Measures
Water only after the potting medium has dried down 1 – 2 inches. But before that, do a finger test by burying your finger into the soil, and if you find that the soil is dry, water it.
You won’t need to water as frequently in the winter as you would in the spring or summer. Hence, water less in the winter.
2. Underwatering the Plant
Underwatering is one of the reasons why your houseplants’ leaves are becoming yellow.
In addition, the presence of dry soil pockets in your pot will be troublesome if you are not adequately soaking the soil when you water, and the plant will suffer as a result.
The Rhaphidophora plant needs a lot of water to thrive.
So while it is crucial to allow the first 1-2 inches of soil to dry before watering again, your soil should not be arid after that.
Solution
It will help if you water it four times a month on average. Its requirements, of course, vary from season to season.
You can water it twice a month during the cooler months.
Preventive Measures
Water all around the soil’s surface until the liquid drains out of the drainage holes to avoid underwatering.
3. Humidity Requirements
Rhaphidophora is a plant native to Malaysia and Southern Thailand, where the climate is naturally humid. Hence it is susceptible to humidity.
Humidity fluctuations will eventually manifest themselves, and the plants will become yellow.
Rhaphidophora prefers a higher humidity level around the plant than one may imagine. Aim for a humidity level of 50 – 60 percent in close surroundings of the plant.
Solution
Plants that are grouped will help to raise the atmospheric humidity slightly. So give this a try.
Also, misting your plant a couple of times a week will also benefit the plant.
Preventive Measures
Humidity can be provided for home plants in various ways, including combining them with other plants, using pebble trays, or using humidifiers.
But make sure to keep your humidifier plants away from heat sources like radiators and radiant heated flooring.
4. Improper Lighting
The leaves of your Rhaphidophora will appear yellow and smaller than they should be as your plant doesn’t get enough light. Rhaphidophora plants will thrive in bright, indirect light.
Its leaves are designed to make use of the available light in the area. While it cannot take direct sunshine, it can tolerate bright but indirect lighting.
Solution
Place the plant in an east or west-facing window where it will receive sufficient morning light.
It is ideal for keeping it in a brilliant shade to receive the soothing morning sun’s touch.
Preventive Measures
Stop shifting this plant from one location to another.
Ensure keeping a watch on the plant since too much direct sunlight turns the leaves yellow and unattractive.
5. Nutrient Deficiency
Nutrient deficiencies in the soil can also induce the yellowing of houseplant leaves. Eventually, the entire plant will be affected by nitrogen deficits, and the leaves will turn pale green and yellow.
Solution
The ideal option is to fertilize your houseplants with a balanced blend of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium throughout the growing season, then cut them back in the winter when they aren’t actively growing.
Preventive Measures
Please be aware of the water your plants are receiving; if you live in a region with hard water, your plants may be receiving too much calcium, which can impair the uptake of other nutrients.
6. Overfertilizing the Plant
A little fertilizer goes a long way, but too much fertilizer might cause the plant to suffer, resulting in yellowing. Fertilizing your plant more frequently than necessary can cause a lot of trouble.
In the spring and summer, Rhaphidophora will require fertilizer, but overfertilizing the plant will cause more harm than good.
Fertilizer burn causes the leaves of your plants to get discolored, turning yellow or brown. This will start at the borders and work its way throughout the entire leaf.
Solution
Feed the plant with a soft, balanced compost 2 to 3 times a month during the growing season.
Fertilize with NPK 20-20-20 once a month to encourage the growth of leaf density.
You can also create your own natural organic DIY fertilizer by using banana peels, goat, chicken, or horse manure, and untreated fish tank water on your plants.
You may get the fertilizer from any local store, or I recommend the Miracle-Gro 680g 20-20-20 from Amazon.
Preventive Measures
Avoid fertilizing during the winter because its buildup can create root burn and render the leaves brown or yellow.
These plants’ root systems are exceptionally delicate, which means that overly strong fertilizer might quickly burn them.
You will need to find one that’s milder and, more importantly, free of harmful chemicals.
7. Pest Infestation
If you grow your plant in well-drained soil, it is usually pest-free.
However, mealybugs, thrips, and spider mites, for example, can infest the plant and cause harm to the Rhaphidophora plant.
As a result, it is critical to monitor your plants frequently; otherwise, the insect will impact the plant, causing it to become dry and crisp.
Solution
Using insecticidal soap diluted at a rate of 5 teaspoons per liter of water, spray the fern. As needed, repeat the spray every two weeks.
Preventive Measures
Remove no more than 20% of the diseased leaves at a time; you may need to do it in stages.
Cutting off even more of your plant’s roots could shock it.
Should I Remove the Yellow Leaves from Rhaphidophora?
If the leaves are yellowing due to age, insufficient watering, or nutrient lack, you should keep them on the plant until they are entirely yellow.
This allows the plant to regain some of the nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, and other nutrients lost in the leaves.
You can, however, trim them off the plant if you don’t like the way they look.
Since they will not be of much help, you can remove the yellow leaf, paving the way for the new one.
Can Rhaphidophora Yellow Leaves turn Green?
A houseplant’s yellow leaves can detract from its charm. But, unfortunately, the chances of a house plant’s yellow leaves becoming green again are little to none, so don’t count on it.
The first step is to determine whether the whole plant leaf or only the margins are yellow.
When the yellowing of the entire leaf occurs, it is usually an indication of something more serious, and the plant’s odds of returning to green are considerably less.
If only the edges are yellow, however, there is a ray of hope that you will be able to retrieve the plant and make it green and healthy again.
But, of course, you’ll need to analyze the likely cause first and then figure out what the best treatment might be.
Tips to Take Care of Rhaphidophora Plant
There are some tips and tricks you can apply to take proper care of your Rhaphidophora plant. Let me tell you what those are below.
- If the roots are damp, they will be unhappy, therefore water thoroughly, but make sure the water drains and your plant does not sit in water.
- Now and again, bath the plant. Rinsing Rhaphidophora helps keep the plant moist and removes any dust or debris accumulated on the plant’s leaves.
- Keep your Rhaphidophora away from drafts and air conditioning or heating vents.
- Avoid exposing any plants to direct sunlight since the intense rays can quickly burn the leaves.
- If Rhaphidophora has to be pruned, remove any dead leaves or those with brown tips. Cut the stem near where it emerges from the soil to remove these leaves.
Conclusion
So, if you don’t want your leaves to curl, pay attention to your Rhaphidophora requirements.
Continue to be attentive, to learn more, and to explore. It is all you can do to avoid typical gardening issues such as leaf yellowing.
I hope this article helped guide you through the process.
Are the leaves of your Rhaphidophora plant curling? Please take the time to read why your Rhaphidophora leaves are curling.
