Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) have long, arching leaves. Native to tropical Africa, the spider plant is fond of indirect light, humid conditions, and proper watering. While spider plants have relatively few problems, yellow leaves are a sign something is wrong with your plant. However, if the problem is fixed, this resilient houseplant can bounce back.
Continue reading to learn about common causes of spider plant leaves turning yellow and what you can do to fix them.
For more information about how to care for a spider plant, check out this guide
Spider plant leaves turning yellow due to age
As spider plant leaves age, they turn yellow. This is a normal part of the plant’s life cycle- as the old leaves die, new ones grow. If only a few bottom leaves are yellow and the rest of the plant appears healthy, nothing needs to be changed.
Just prune the dry leaves to make way for new growth.
Related article: Monstera Deliciosa Care Guide
Spider plant leaves turning yellow due to over watering
Spider plants are drought tolerant, so they prefer for their soil to dry between watering. Over watering is a very common cause of yellow leaves and can be difficult to fix. Too much water drowns the roots and causes root rot, which can be fatal to the plant.
Signs of an over watered spider plant:
- Several leaves are yellow and limp
- The leaves easily fall off
- The stalks are turning brown and mushy
Spider plants prefer for their soil to dry out between watering. This comes out to about once every one to two weeks, depending on your plant’s specific conditions. Stick your finger in the top inch of soil before watering to confirm it is dry. Adding perlite, orchid bark, or gravel to the houseplant soil increases drainage and prevents the roots from staying wet for too long.
Note: Spider plants in a cooler or low-light areas require less frequent watering than those in warmer or brighter areas.
If your spider plant is over watered, remove the plant from it’s pot and clean the soil off it’s roots. Using a clean pair of scissors, cut off any dark brown or black, mushy roots as these are rotten (healthy roots are light tan). Wash the scissors after each cut to avoid spreading the rot. Prune the damaged leaves.
Wash the pot with soap and water and fill it with fresh, new potting soil. Add more perlite to the soil to increase drainage. Terracotta pots with drainage holes are better than plastic ones.
Replant the spider plant in the new soil and place in a well-ventilated room with bright, indirect light. Avoid watering for several weeks to give the plant time to recover.
See also: Succulent root rot guide
Spider plant leaves turning yellow due type of water used
While your watering frequency may be fine, the quality of the water could be causing yellow leaves. Tap water with excess salts or chemicals (such as chlorine or fluoride) turns spider plant leaves yellow as well. These salts buildup in the soil and over time cause yellow leaves.
Leave the tap water out overnight in a bowl to let the chlorine evaporate. As an alternative, you can water with collected rainwater or filtered water. It is difficult to determine if this is the reason why your spider plant is turning yellow, so try out one of these watering methods and see if the problem improves.
Spider plant leaves turning yellow due to the weather
Humidity
Yellow and brown leaf tips may mean the air is too dry for your spider plant. Spider plants are native to tropical areas, so they prefer medium to high humidity.
Increase the plant’s humidity by placing a humidifier nearby or by keeping the pot on top of a pebble tray with water (but make sure the pot does not sit in the water directly).
Note: do not mist the leaves directly to increase humidity. If large puddles of water remain on the leaves for extended periods of time, it may lead to bacterial leaf disease.
Temperature
Spider plants like temperatures from 65 – 80 °F (18 – 27 °C). Plants kept outdoors are subject to temperature fluctuations, resulting in yellow leaves. If this is the case, keep the houseplant indoors where the temperatures do not vary as much.
Avoid placing the spider plant next to a drafty window or an AC vent where it can be exposed to a blast of cold air.
Spider plant leaves turning yellow due to inappropriate sunlight
Spider plants need bright, indirect light. Excess sunlight burns the leaves and causes brown spots. On the other hand, insufficient sunlight leads to a weak plant with yellow leaves. The plant’s growth may also slow down with inadequate light.
Move the spider plant closer to a window or supplement with a grow light. East or west facing windows are best to provide bright, indirect light.
Spider plant leaves turning yellow due to excess fertilizer
Fertilizer build-up leads to yellow leaves. You may notice salt buildup in the soil if this is the case.
Fertilize spider plants once a month with a dilute, water soluble fertilizer during their growing season (from spring to the end of summer). There is no need to fertilize more often than this as spider plants are not heavy feeders.
Fertilizing more than once a month causes root damage from the nutrient excess. If you suspect you over fertilized, flush out the soil with a lot of water to remove the excess salts or repot the plant in fresh soil. Avoid fertilizing the spider plant for several months.
Note: Even if you do not fertilize monthly, salts may still buildup over time.
Related article: Monstera adansonii Care Guide
Spider plant leaves turning yellow due to shock
Plant shock occurs when a plant that recently changed environments experiences stress. The change in environment shocks the plant as it adjusts to it’s new conditions. Spider plants may undergo shock after any of the following:
- Recently repotted plant: When repotting, there is some root damage and the plant has to adjust to a new container. These are changes the plant has to adapt to.
- A plant that was brought home from the nursery: In nurseries, plants are in their ideal conditions and are cared for by experts around-the-clock, which is difficult to replicate at home.
- A plant that was recently moved: If you moved the spider plant to a new room in your house, or brought it indoors from outside (or vice versa), the plant may experience shock as it adjusts to the new temperature, sunlight, and humidity conditions.
If you suspect plant shock, place the spider plant somewhere with bright, indirect light. Give the plant a few weeks to recover as it adjusts to it’s new surroundings. Avoid any major changes to your plant during this time.
Learn more about plant shock here.
Spider plant leaves turning yellow due to pests
Infestation from pests such as mealy bugs, spider mites or scale can cause yellow leaves. Pests are likely if the spider plant (or any neighboring houseplant) was recently outside or brought home from the nursery.
Check the spider plant for insects, such as mealy bugs, spider mites, or aphids. Be sure to check the undersides of leaves because they love to lurk there. If there are insects immediately quarantine the plant and check any plants nearby as well in case they have spread.
Wash the plant under a stream of water, such as a hose or shower head, to dislodge the insects. Spray the plant with neem oil, rubbing alcohol, or an insecticidal soap. This helps remove the pests without damaging the plant. Dab any visible insects that remain with a swab soaked in rubbing alcohol.
Repeat this process once every few days for a few weeks to completely remove the infestation. Be patient- this process takes a while.
Can yellow spider plant leaves turn green again?
After the plant’s leaves turn yellow, they will not return back to their green color. Trim the yellow leaves off to improve the plant’s appearance (no more than 25% of the leaves at once so the plant has time to adapt). If only a small portion of the plant is healthy, cut that off and propagate it.
Spider plant care to avoid yellow leaves
| Sunlight | Prefers bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight. |
| Water | Once every 1 to 2 weeks (check that the soil is dry before watering). |
| Temperature | 65 – 80 °F (18 – 27 °C). Do not keep in cold temperatures. |
| Humidity | Medium to high humidity. |
In summary for spider plant leaves turning yellow…
While spider plants are able to tolerate a fair amount of neglect, they do have some limits. Yellow spider plant leaves are a common problem but if the underlying cause is fixed, this houseplant can bounce back.
8 common reasons for yellow spider plant leaves include:
- Age
- Over watering
- Tap water quality
- Weather (humidity and temperature)
- Too much or too little light
- Excess fertilizer
- Plant shock
- Pests
- If the older leaves on the bottom of the plant are turning yellow this is part of the natural aging process. Trim off the dried leaves to make way for new growth.
- Over watering is one of the most common causes of yellow leaves. If the soil is wet and your spider plant has yellow, mushy stems, it is likely over watered. Replant in fresh new soil and avoid watering for several weeks.
- Tap water that is high in chemicals and salts also causes yellow leaves. Let the water sit out overnight, or water with collected rain water or filtered water.
- Keep the spider plant in a room with medium to high humidity. Avoid sudden temperature changes, and do not keep the plant near drafty windows or vents.
- Provide the spider plant with bright, indirect light. Too much or too little light leads to discolored leaves.
- Fertilize once a month with a dilute fertilizer during the spring to summer. If you fertilized too much and notice salt buildup, flush out the soil with water.
- Spider plants that recently moved locations or that were repotted can experience transplant shock. Give this houseplant time to adjust to it’s new environment.
- Check closely for any signs of pests and remove them with the steps described above.
If only a few leaves are yellow, remove them (no more than 25% of the plant). If the damage is extensive, you may need to propagate the healthy growth that remains.
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