
Clusia leaves turn yellow when there is an environmental factor or a change in the plant’s living conditions that is causing it stress. Inspecting the plant and its leaves thoroughly will help to correctly determine the exact cause of the discoloration.
The most common causes of yellowing clusia leaves are overwatering, underwatering, insufficient light, temperature changes, low humidity, disease and pests.
In this article, we will discuss the different causes of yellowing clusia leaves and how to remedy each.
Why are my clusia leaves turning yellow?
Overwatering
The clusia plant is able to survive relatively long periods with no water, which makes them prone to overwatering.
Eager newbie plant owners can be a little too enthusiastic when they first start caring for their plants. The clusia plant likes its soil moist, but does not tolerate soggy soil.
When the plant’s soil is constantly wet, its roots will drown and die. Plant roots need to dry out in between watering for them to have access to oxygen. Without oxygen, they will die.
If you suspect that your clusia plant is overwatered, take it out of the pot and wash off the soil to have a better look at the roots. If there are any brown or black roots, this means the plant has root rot. This happens when the roots have drowned and died and become susceptible to bacteria and fungi. The pathogens help spread the rot upwards toward the plant’s stem and leaves, resulting in yellowing. The leaves will become soft and limp and will eventually fall off. If the symptoms of overwatering can already be seen on the plant’s leaves, that usually means it is too late to salvage the plant.
If you were able to catch the root rot in its early stages, you can try to save the plant by cutting off the brown or black roots using sterile scissors. Then let the plant air dry on a tray lined with a paper towel. When the roots have dried, you can replant it using new, well-draining soil, in a pot that has drainage holes at the bottom.
The key to avoiding overwatering is knowing when to water the plant. Clusia plants only need to be watered when the top two inches of the soil are dry to the touch. If you touch the soil and the top two inches are still moist, wait one or two days and check the soil again.
Underwatering
Even though the clusia plant is more prone to overwatering, this does not mean it is impossible to underwater it. As mentioned above, they like their topsoil to be a bit moist but not soggy.
If you neglect your clusia plant and forget to water it, the plant will dry out and the leaves will turn yellow and then brown. This is because the plant needs water not only for its own moisture, but also to effectively transport nutrients and minerals from the soil into the plant. The older leaves at the bottom will be the first to turn yellow in an underwatered plant, because the plant will choose to focus its remaining resources on the younger leaves at the top.
Fortunately, it is very simple to rehabilitate an underwatered clusia plant. Just water it generously until all of the soil in its pot is soaked and the excess water starts to flow out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Soaking all of the soil is important, so that all the roots get their share of the moisture.
Light issues
Clusia plants need bright, indirect light to thrive. They are able to survive in the outdoors under direct sunlight, but if they get too much they can get scorched. The leaves turn yellow and get brown tips and edges due to a loss of chloroplasts, because the plant thinks it does not need them due to the concentrated light it is receiving.
On the other hand, if the clusia plant is unable to get enough light, the leaves will become very green. This is because the plant will compensate by creating more chloroplasts to absorb as much as possible of the limited light available. They will eventually become paler and limper the longer they are kept away from a good light source.
If you plan on keeping the plant indoors, place it near a west-facing window in the warmer months and move it to a south-facing window during the colder months to maximize the available lighting when the weather is gloomy.
Temperature changes
Clusia plants prefer to be between 58 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. If you keep the plant in temperatures lower than 58 degrees Fahrenheit, it will become unhappy and lose color in its leaves.
Temperatures higher than 85 degrees Fahrenheit can also lead to yellow and brown leaves, and even leaf drop.
Room temperature is not the only factor you need to watch out for; drafts can also affect the plant. When choosing a location for your clusia plant, make sure there are no cold or warm drafts passing through, because this can also cause yellowing leaves.
Low humidity
Clusia plants do best in medium to high humidity. When the plant is kept in a place with low humidity, the leaves can turn yellow or brown and start to curl. As long as you can keep the humidity above 40%, the plant should be fine.
You can increase the humidity around the plant by placing a humidity tray near the plant or by misting the plant once in a while.
Disease and pests
Clusia plants are quite resilient against infections, but they can become very susceptible to opportunistic fungi and bacteria when they are severely compromised, such as when they have root rot.
The most common pests that infest clusia plants are spider mites, mealybugs, aphids and scale insects. You can remove these by spraying them off with your garden hose. Make sure you separate the infested plant so that the pests do not spread to your healthy plants.
Conclusion
Clusia leaves turn yellow because of environmental factors that cause the plant stress. Correctly identifying the cause of the discoloration is the first step in fixing the problem.
The most common causes of yellowing clusia leaves are overwatering, underwatering, insufficient light, temperature changes, overfeeding, low humidity, disease and pests.
Image: istockphoto.com / Felipe Cruz