12 Reasons for Million Hearts Plant Yellowing Leaves and their Remedies
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Million Hearts Plant (Dischidia ruscifolia) leaves may yellow due to too little light, inconsistent watering, soggy soil, nutrients deficiency, cold drafts, salts buildup, pests, root-rot among others.
Dischidia ruscifolia grows best in bright light with 4-6 hours of morning sunshine, warmth of 18-300C, humidity of 50-55% and moderately moist, fertile, well-drained potting soil coupled with two feedings in the growing season. Learn how to grow and care for Million Hearts Plant.
If the right conditions are not provided, the plant may develop some problems like yellowing leaves and death. We have outlined herebelow 12 causes of yellowing leaves in Million Hearts Plant and their remedies.
12 Causes of yellowing leaves in Million Hearts Plant and solutions
1. Too Little Light
Insufficient light implies that the plant cannot make enough food for energy and growth. In an attempt to save energy, the plant begins to die which begins from the leaves which slowly turn yellow and eventually die. This way, the energy available is saved for the plant's vital functions inorder to keep alive.
How to fix it
Move your Million Hearts Plant to a brighter spot where it will receive bright light with 4-6 hours of morning sunshine or instal grow lights if you do not have adequate natural lighting in your home.
Regularly rotate the pot to ensure that the plant absorbs enough light for photosynthesis from all sides.
2. Inconsistent watering
Too much water in the soil reduces the oxygen concentration in the root area which causes the roots to die. Therefore, the roots cannot take up water and nutrients to the upper parts of the plant leading to death which begins with yellowing of the leaves.
Underwatering implies that there is too little moisture in the soil meaning the plant cannot take up water and nutrients to the leaves and other parts. Therefore, the plant cannot make enough food for growth and energy. As such, it begins to die from the leaves which turn yellow, then brown and die.
How to fix it
Do not water on a schedule. Water your Million Hearts Plant when the top 2-3 inches of soil dry out but do not allow the soil to dry out completely.
3. Soggy soil
Too much water in the soil reduces the oxygen concentration in the rootzone which causes the roots to die. This means that the roots cannot take up water and nutrients to the upper parts of the plant.
Therefore, the plant cannot make enough food for growth and energy. As such, it begins to die from the leaves which turn yellow, then brown and die.
How to fix it
Use a pot with a drainage hole and a potting mix that is well-drained.
Reduce watering in the cold season to keep the soil barely moist as growth is minimal at this time and therefore the plant does not require much water.
4. Pest Infestations
Million Hearts Plant is prone to spider mites, scale insects, aphids and mealybugs infestation. These pests attack the new growth from where they suck the plant sap. This causes the plant to become dehydrated which results in yellow leaves.
How to fix it
- Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to other plants.
- Treat the plant with an insecticidal soap or neem oil as per the manufacturer's recommendations.
- Regularly check underneath and between the leaves for these pests and carry out timely control measures.
- Maintain the plant well pruned and raise humidity to discourage the pest infestations.
5. Poor quality soil
Poor quality soil does not drain well and easily becomes compacted or soggy which will negatively impact the growth of the plant. Soggy soil will lead to rotting and yellowing leaves.
How to fix it
Pot your Million Hearts Plant in loose, free-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. Most orchid potting mixes are perfect for this plant.
6. Root-rot disease
Dischidia ruscifolia is prone to root-rot which is promoted by soggy soil. The disease is indicated by wilted, discolored and yellowing leaves which eventually drop and die.
How to fix it
- Carefully slip the plant out of its pot and inspect the roots; brown-black mushy roots indicate root-rot.
- Trim the rotten roots and treat the healthy roots with a copper-based fungicidal solution as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Repot the plant in fresh, fast-draining soil and a pot that has a drainage hole.
- Place the plant in bright light and stop watering for a few days to give it enough time to recover.
7. Cold drafts
Extremely cold temperatures due to cold drafts will cause the plant to stop growing and begin to die which starts with yellowing leaves.
How to fix it
Keep your Dischidia ruscifolia away from cold drafts like windy doors, drafts windows and other cold areas to maintain a warmth of 18-300C. Usually, a room temperature that is comfortable for you is ideal for this plant.
8. Nutrients deficiency
Lack of enough nutrients for growth and energy in the actively growing tips causes nutrients to be withdrawn from the older lower leaves which begin to yellow and drop.
How to fix it
Feed your Million Hearts Plant twice during the growing season with a slow release fertilizer. It is not a heavy feeder so be careful when feeding. Follow the instructions on the label of the plant food to avoid overfeeding.
9. Salts buildup
Excess salts will cause the roots to die due to fertilizer burn. When the roots die, they cannot take up water and nutrients to the leaves which signals death for the plant causing leaves to turn yellow, brown and to die.
How to fix it
Regularly flush out the salts from the soil by running a stream of water through the soil until it comes out through the drainage holes and repeat the process several times.
10. Being pot-bound
When pot-bound, the roots have filled the pot and there is very little soil to hold water when you water. Therefore, the plant cannot take up water and nutrients needed for making food for energy to the leaves. Inadequate food causes the plant to begin dying which starts from the leaves which turn yellow and die.
How to fix it
Check the bottom of the pot for roots growing through the drainage hole.
Repot the Dischidia ruscifolia into a pot one size larger than the current one to provide adequate room for growth or divide it to propagate new plants. Take a look at these succulents pots on Amazon.
11. Repotting shock
Repotting may cause some shock which may lead to some leaves wilting and turn yellow before it can adjust the new growing conditions.
How to fix it
To minimize repotting shock, water the plant thoroughly one day before repotting as a well hydrated plant experiences less shock and is easier to divide.
Do not make too many changes at once. For instance, after repotting, maintain the plant in the same location until it is well established before moving it to a new location.
12. Aging
The older lower leaves on Dischidia ruscifolia will naturally, turn yellow and die to give room for growth of new leaves.
How to fix it
Remove the yellow leaves to maintain the plant neat and tidy. Trim the bare stems at the beginning of the growing season and use them to propagate new plants.
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