If your plant is exhibiting foliage issues like yellowing, browning or dry leaves that no longer appear viable, don’t panic! This is nature at work: as plants age, some of their leaves will lose liveliness and strength. New leaves will grow to replace them, and they’ll grow even quicker with a little help. Pruning off old foliage signals to your plant that it can direct its energy toward pushing out new growth. So don’t be afraid to give your plant a snip — follow the steps here, and prune with confidence.

Shape It Up

Your plant is like a living sculpture: you can maintain the ideal shape and size for your space by pruning off unruly stems and leaves. Simply cut close to the base of the stem or tug on the root and see if you can pull it out completely. Maintaining a balanced structure has the additional benefit of preventing tilting and sagging.

Clean Up The Edges 

Every plant can use a manicure from time to time. With sharp scissors, you can trim off imperfect or discolored leaf edges and re-shape your plant’s edges for uniform foliage. Unless you’re aiming for a complete reshape of the leaf, be sure to leave the slightest sliver of brown, right before the green. Cutting into a healthy part of the leaf will create fresh wounds that will need to dry out and heal.

A Light Touch 

Plan on pruning no more than 25% of the plant’s overall foliage at any one time. This ensures that your plant doesn’t go into shock and allows you to take time to consider the overall desired shape.

Take a Step Back

Once you’ve finished your first round of pruning, take a step back and look at the plant from a distance. If any leaves you’re considering pruning contribute nicely to the overall shape, leave them on. Pruning is essentially an art (think bonsai and ikebana) and it allows you to take the reins in determining how you would like your plant to look. Assess the plant regularly throughout your pruning routine to ensure that it’s headed in the direction that is beautiful to you. 

Last but not least, a *pro tip*: scared of pests? Keep your plant well-pruned! Pests are significantly less likely to make your plant their new home if it has well-maintained foliage. (Think of it like this: fewer branches to hang their hammocks from!) 

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BIRD OF PARADISE

With long elegant leaves rising up from the bottom, the Bird of Paradise is a popular indoor plant for creating that instant jungle atmosphere.

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The Bird’s Nest Fern is the champion of the indoor ferns. Both low-maintenance and vibrant, its unique foliage sets it apart, and it’s far and away the easiest indoor ornamental fern to care for. Named for the way its quill-like leaves grow from a nest-like center, the Bird’s Nest Fern is a lush choice for tabletops and they make gorgeous centerpieces. But although it is low-maintenance, it is somewhat sensitive to light, which can result in pale and/or yellowing leaves. Not to worry! Read on to learn our simple steps on how to correct leaf discoloration and keep your Bird’s Nest Fern healthy and happy.

Pale Leaves: Too Much Light

Bird’s Nest Ferns have a preference for medium, indirect light. Too much bright light is simply too different from the light that they receive in their native, tropical environments, which are both moist and filtered by the canopies of other plants inhabiting the same biome. If your Bird’s Nest Fern is in a spot where it receives direct natural light, it will need to be moved to a space that receives diffuse, medium light. Similarly, if it is in a spot that receives bright light from artificial appliances, it will likely need to be moved to a space with light that is more gentle and less direct.

Yellow Leaves: Overwatering

Yellow leaves are one of Mother Nature’s most common signs of overwatering. This symptom can be seen consistently across many plant families, and the Bird’s Nest Fern is no exception. If its leaves are yellow, sagging, and have the appearance of holding a lot of moisture within them, the fern is likely overwatered. Remember that your Bird’s Nest Fern needs its soil to be kept consistently moist, not drenched. And never water directly within the center of the plant’s nest- always water along the outer edges of the plant’s soil. A watering can with a narrow spout can assist you with this.

If you’re concerned that your fern has been severely overwatered, lift it out of its ceramic pot (still within its plastic nursery pot) and check the ceramic for any signs of standing water. If water has pooled within it, dump it out. Allow the plant’s soil to dry to a consistently moist state before returning the fern to its ceramic pot, then resume your watering schedule: always aiming for consistent moisture, not soaking.

Further Support

If you follow the steps above and the condition of your Bird’s Nest Fern’s does not improve, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Plant Doctor Service. Just log into your Leon and George account and select “Contact Plant Doctor” from the menu. Then, upload photos of your plant as a whole, as well as close-ups of any areas exhibiting a pale or yellow tone, and provide details on the water your fern receives (both how much, and how often) as well as a description of its lighting environment. The Plant Doctor team will get back to you within 1-2 business days with an assessment, and guidance on how to get your fern back on track.

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Bird’s Nest Fern

A resilient, low-maintenance and beautifully full indoor fern, the Bird’s Nest Fern’s claim to fame is its luscious, quill-like foliage, which grows in ample fronds from the plant’s center, resembling a bird’s nest. Bird’s Nest Ferns require medium light, consistent moisture and steady humidity. Ideal for tabletops and renowned for their use as eye-catching centerpieces.

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Why Are The Leaves of My Rubber Tree Yellowing and Pale?

There’s so much to love about the gorgeous Rubber Tree. With richly hued, glossy leaves tinged with shades of burgundy, the Rubber Tree, or Ficus Elastica, is vivid and stunning. It’s also low-maintenance: this ficus variety is easy-care and tolerant of varied light. But as with any plant, its foliage is often the first area through which the plan exhibits stress. And in some cases, this can mean pale, yellowing leaves on your previously verdant and colorful Rubber Tree. There are solutions! Read on to learn the most common causes of yellow, pale Rubber Tree foliage and how to correct the issue.

Overwatering

Far and away the most common culprit of yellowing, pale leaves on Rubber Trees is overwatering. Improper soil moisture is a common problem among all indoor plants, and Rubber Trees are no exception. Although it’s true that they appreciate misting (they are originally from the humid Amazon) indoor spaces are a far cry from their home turf, and overwatering causes systemic stress that often results in pale, yellow leaves, which may droop and fall off entirely.

Rubber Trees do not require, or prefer, copious amounts of water. You should water your plant only when its topsoil is dry to the touch. This may result in watering only every few weeks. Don’t be alarmed! Each plant has its own rhythm. So if you probe the soil with your finger and find it to be thoroughly soggy or drenched, you’ve identified the cause of the yellow, pale leaves: and you need to let your Rubber Tree’s soil dry out entirely before you resume watering.

Inconsistent temperatures

Rubber Trees don’t love sudden changes in temperature. If your plant undergoes very cold (or hot) spells, for example, when you are traveling and not using climate control at home, this may result in your plant feeling stressed due to changes in its environment. A stressed Rubber Tree will either start to show yellow leaves or leaf drop.

How to avoid yellow leaves on your Rubber Tree

The best way to avoid yellow leaves on your Rubber Tree is to water your plant correctly and consistently.

When it comes to how much water your Rubber Tree needs, there are a few things that come into play. The amount of light that it receives, the season and the dryness or humidity of its environment are all factors. utilizes the water it receives in accordance to its environment. That’s why the method of manually probing your Rubber Tree’s soil to gauge moisture is so valuable: it’s foolproof! So if your Rubber Tree has been severely overwatered, allow it to dry out entirely before resuming your watering routine. Then, start fresh by maintaining a routine of measuring its moisture levels before watering by pushing aside a portion of its decorative moss and sticking your finger two inches down into the plant’s soil. When it it dry to the touch, it is time to water. Use this method of manually gauging its moisture regularly, and water only when topsoil is dry.

More Support

If you follow the steps above and your Rubber Tree does not improve and continues to experience pale and yellowing foliage, our Plant Doctor service is here to help. Reach out to them by logging into your Léon & George account, then select the option “Contact Plant Doctor”. Be sure to include photos of your Rubber Tree as a whole, as well as close-ups of any yellowing and pale foliage. Our Plant Doctor team will get back to you with an assessment and guidance within 2-3 business days.

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Rubber Tree

With glossy, lush foliage in shades of deep emerald and burgundy, the Rubber Tree is a vibrant, low-maintenance statement plant that is perfect for any space in need of vivid color. Low-light adaptable, the Rubber Tree requires watering only sparingly.

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We can’t get enough of the vivid coloration of the Stromanthe Triostar. This enchanting houseplant is popular for good reason: it’s gorgeous, easy to care for and boasts foliage that is long, lovely and incredibly colorful. So as troubling as it can be to see discoloration on any plant’s leaves, it is doubly so when it’s your Triostar. Their coloration is their crowning glory, after all! But don’t fret. Pale, yellowing leaves on Triostars are typically simple to diagnose and to rectify. Read on: peace of mind and a return to vibrancy await!

Overwatering

Your Triostar’s pale, yellow leaves may very well be its SOS as it combats the effects of overwatering. Thank you, Triostar, for your direct communication skills! You can probe this possibility by lifting your Triostar out of its ceramic pot and checking its soil’s moisture levels. Positively drenched? Allow your Triostar to dry out until you water again. Merely moist? Consider aerating the Triostar’s soil to increase air flow. You can do this by jabbing the soil with a chopstick- the holes you create will allow air to circulate and prevent soil stagnation.

Lack of Light

Like many houseplants, Stromanthe Triostars prefer bright, indirect light. If they are not receiving the level of light they need, this can result in pale, yellowing leaves and a lackluster hue overall. Additionally, plants need less water when they receive less adequate light. They simply use it more slowly, as their photosynthesis and growth rate overall slows down. Be sure to place your Triostar in a spot that receives a good amount of indirect natural light, and adjust your watering frequency if it is taking longer to use that water up.

Positive It’s Neither of the Above Issues?

If you are confident that your Triostar is receiving plenty of light and not being overwatered, but it is still exhibiting browning, take a look at the yellow leaf areas. Are they crispy and dry to the touch? Do they feel rough, papery or like parchment? If so, your Triostar may be underwatered. But not to worry, we have a guide for that too.

Still Sending Out an SOS?

You never have to go it alone. If you follow the guidance above but continue to experience issues, just contact our Plant Doctor team through your Leon and George account. They’re certified experts, and they’re here to help!

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Magenta Triostar

A stunning prayer plant with foliage that is perfectly pink, cream and emerald green all at once, the Magenta Triostar is an instantly classic easy-care houseplant.

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