If you are looking for a good-looking and easy-care houseplant, the lucky feather (ZZ plant or Zamioculcas zamiifolia as it is also called) is a worthy contender. The most common problem you may encounter is if your lucky feather has yellow leaves. In this article you will learn how to fix this problem and avoid it in the future.
If your lucky feather has yellow leaves, it could have one of many possible causes. It's best to research the reasons to make sure you understand what's making your houseplant unhappy and knowwhat actions you takecan. Below we'll go over a number of reasons why your Zamioculcas might be getting yellow leaves and give you some tips on how to make sure the yellow leaves don't come back once the plant has been revived.
Not watering properly
If yellow leaves appear, it is most likely related to your watering schedule. Adjusting the timing and amount of watering your ZZ plant can go a long way toward reversing the damage and revitalizing the plant.
Overwatering a lucky feather can result in yellowing leaves
Because lucky feathers are designed for dry conditions, they can react negatively to excessive watering. This is primarily due to fungal growth and root rot that occur when the plant's root system is exposed to a moist environment for a long period of time.
Whether you water your plant too often or the soil doesn't drain well, wet roots lead to root rot, which then...constant supplyof the leaves and the rest of the plant with water and nutrients.
When root rot sets in, the root system simply cannot function as it should. This causes the leaves to yellow because important areas of the plant are no longer supplied with water and nutrients. Sometimes the yellowed leaves even fall off.
What to do if root rot from overwatering is the cause of yellow leaves?
The first thing you need to do is examine the soil. Does the earth feel very wet? If so, you will need to remove the plant from the pot so you can take a closer look at the roots. The roots should be completely white. If this is not the case and you see brown areas of rot, then you have a problem with root rot. Root rot renders the root inoperable but can be reversed if caught early.
Use secateurs to cleanly cut the rot from the roots. Remove the most infected roots and make incisions in healthy roots to encourage new root growth. Be sure to wash the scissors after cutting off the rot.Because fungal infection contributescontributes to root rot and can spread if it contaminates your shears and other equipment.
Transplant the plant into a pot with adequate drainage holes. Discard the contaminated soil and use fresh soil. To prevent the problem from recurring, use a well-draining growing medium. Water the soil, but only so that it is slightly moist. Allow the soil to dry out completely before watering again.
Underwatering a lucky feather can result in yellowing leaves
A Zamioculcas doesn't need a lot of water, so it can be easy to forget to water it altogether. Drastic lack of water causes leaves to discolor, shrivel and fall off.
If your plant's soil is very dry, underwatering could be the problem. The good news is that by adjusting the watering schedule, your plant can recover fairly quickly.
What to do if your plant has turned yellow due to underwatering:
Begin watering the houseplant slowly, but do not drench the soil.If a plantIf you're suffering from a lack of water, it can be tempting to do the exact opposite and overwater them. Be economical with the water. Be sure to pour excess water out of the drainage saucer. Do not leave the plant standing in water.
If you want to improve health and nutrition, you can add soluble fertilizer to the water. Mix only up to half the dosage stated on the package. Most plant owners report that they can water once a week in the summer and every two or three weeks in the winter. However, it is advisable to check the soil before watering.
Getting too much light
Lucky feathers can generally tolerate a range of lighting conditions. They tolerate low light quite well, making them an excellent houseplant for darker corners. However, they tolerate excessive, direct sunlight less well.
If your plant more than 4 hoursdirect sunlightper day, you should consider lighting as a cause of yellow leaves. If there is too much light, the lucky feather gets yellow leaves or brown leaf tips due to sunburn.
If in doubt, place your plant in a location with bright but indirect light. This will eliminate this potential problem and hopefully allow the plant to recover more quickly.
Inappropriate nutrient schedule
Although these plants are quite tolerant of imperfect growing conditions, it is quite possible for them to develop yellow leaves due to nutrient deficiencies or excessive fertilization.
In general, you should only fertilize plants monthly with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer. Do not fertilize more than half the amount recommended on the package to avoid the risk of nutrient burn.
If you fertilize your plant more than once or twice a year, it is very unlikely that nutrient deficiency is the cause of the yellow leaves. If you use them more than once a monthhave fertilizedor if you have used a solution that is too strong, rinse the pot with plenty of water to remove the excess nutrients. Alternatively, you can repot your lucky feather in fresh, well-draining potting soil.
How to treat lucky feather with yellow leaves?
We've already looked at what to do once root rot has set in, but what do you do with the rest of the plant? Yellowed leaves and discolored stems also need to be treated. First of all, you should remove the plant from the pot to free it from the soil condition if overwatering was the problem. Follow these tips to treat your lucky feather properly:
- Eliminate the affected areas. You can start bythe yellow leavesto cut off. If all the leaves are yellow, you may need to leave some. The plant needs some leaves for photosynthesis.
- Inspect the plant's stems for contamination. If any of the stems are yellow, cut them off where they grow directly from the tuber. The plant should grow back healthy once recovery has begun.
- It's important to act quickly if your plant begins to show signs of illness. At the first sign of yellow leaves, you should spend some time investigating the possible causes. Once you've figured out why the leaves are changing color, you can devise a treatment plan that's right for your specific plant.
What does a Zamioculcas need to be happy?
There are 3 main factors your plant needs to be healthy and happy. These are an appropriate amount of light, the right amount of water and moderate temperatures.
A flowering lucky feather has thick, waxy leaves that are firm and filled with water. Yellowed leaves and leaves with dry tips are a sign that something is wrong.your plantneeds the following:
Licht
These plants need lots of bright, indirect light. The plant thrives best in a room with plenty of natural light.
Water
Too much or too little water can be harmful to the plant. You have to choose the right amount and the right time. As mentioned earlier, you should water the plant after assessing the dryness of the soil and the condition of the plant, and not water according to a strict schedule.
Temperature
Lucky feathers thrive at temperatures between 21°C and 32°C.These plantscan survive at slightly lower temperatures of up to 10 °C. At even lower temperatures the plant begins to suffer.
