Hibiscus leaves turning yellow indicates that there is a problem with the plant that needs to be addressed and remedied before it is too late.
The most common reasons for yellowing hibiscus leaves are overwatering and underwatering. Hibiscus plants typically need plenty of water, especially during the summer, but if you are too generous with watering it can be detrimental to your plant. Not giving the plant enough water can also cause its leaves to turn yellow, so finding the perfect balance is key. Other causes of yellowing hibiscus leaves are lack of nutrients, temperature changes, too much or lack of light, dormancy, wrong location, and pests.
In this article, we discuss each cause and how it can be remedied.
Why are My Hibiscus Leaves Turning Yellow?
Watering issues
When a hibiscus is getting either too much water or not enough water, its leaves will turn yellow. Hibiscus plants need plenty of water, and this need is greater during the warmer months, but overwatering is still very possible and can be destructive to your plant. Ideally, hibiscus plants want their soil to be moist but not soggy. Decrease your watering when the plant is dormant and make sure the soil is just damp enough that it does not dry out. The plant needs to be in a container that has good drainage so any excess water flows out and does not kill the plant’s roots.
Because hibiscus plants like a lot of water, underwatering can be an issue when growing them. Check the soil in the pot regularly to make sure you are not letting it dry out.
Lack of nutrients
If your hibiscus leaves are turning yellow but are not falling off, it may be a sign of nutrient deficiency. This condition is called chlorosis, and can be caused by not providing the plant with fertilizer or due to the pH levels of the soil.
The condition can be remedied by providing fertilizer or by neutralizing the soil’s pH. You can do your own extensive research before doing either of the above, or you can visit a local nursery to talk to a gardening expert before you proceed.
Temperature changes
Hibiscus is a tropical plant in its natural habitat. It is not adapted to the cold, so it needs to be taken indoors when the days start to get colder. If the plant is left outside in the frost, its leaves will turn yellow and fall off.
Drafts can also cause hibiscus leaves to turn yellow and drop off. They do not like hard wind and should be sheltered from it at all times.
Extremely hot weather could also be the cause, especially if the plant is not getting the water it needs to survive through the elevated temperatures. A hibiscus plant that is too dry will also have leaves fall off. You will need to transfer the plant to a shadier area and make sure you meet its watering requirements to survive the summer, so that it does not die from heat stress.
Light problems
As with water, hibiscus plants also require the perfect balance when it comes to light.
Too much light can result in the leaves getting burned, which can be seen on the leaves as white spots. You can fix this by moving the plant to a shadier spot in your garden or house. Remove the damaged leaves.
If a hibiscus plant does not get enough sunlight every day, its leaves will start to become discolored and begin to fall off. This can happen to an indoor plant that is kept away from a window or nowhere near a source of light. You can help the plant by simply moving it to a sunnier spot in your house.
Dormancy
Hibiscus plants grow during the spring, summer and fall seasons. In the natural cycle of plants, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off by the end of autumn, so do not be surprised. There is nothing wrong with your plant and it is simply getting itself ready for a period of dormancy. Remember that you will need to significantly reduce the frequency and amount of water. This is the time for your plant to get itself ready for the harsh winter conditions.
Wrong location
When your hibiscus plant is dormant, be sure to take it indoors so that it can be kept in a cool, dark place during the winter.
These environmental and location changes may stress the plant, so when its dormancy period is about to end, make sure you ease it into the sun slowly by placing it on a windowsill instead of immediately placing it under the full sun. Water the plant more frequently when the weather starts warming up again. New leaves will soon appear and this is the ideal time to fertilize your hibiscus. Do not be worried when you finally take your plant outside and it starts to turn yellow and look wilted; these are signs of stress due to the changes in the plant’s living conditions. Eventually, the plant will adjust to the outside world.
Pests
Pests like the spider mite can feed on your hibiscus plant and leave it with mottled markings and yellow leaves. If the infestation becomes too much, the plant can become stressed and may even lose all of its leaves.
You can get rid of these pests by spraying the plant with a pesticide or even just some soapy water. Just be sure that you do not overuse the pesticide because that can also cause the leaves to turn yellow.
Make sure you keep the infested plant away from your other plants while it is being treated so that the infestation does not spread to your other plants.
Conclusion
A hibiscus plant’s leaves yellowing is a sign that there is a problem with the plant that needs addressing. You need to be able to distinguish what exactly is causing the leaves to change color before you go about fixing it.
The causes of this leaf discoloration could be overwatering, underwatering, lack of nutrients, temperature changes, too much or lack of light, dormancy, wrong location, or pests.
The faster you are able to identify the problem, the faster you can resolve it and save your plant.
Image: istockphoto.com / kendoNice