Sooner or later the leaves on every orchid turn yellow, dry out and can be cut off. The foliage turns yellow because the remaining nutrients are transferred to the aerial roots. However, if the leaves turn yellow in large numbers, the orchid is not feeling well. You can find out what causes the damage here.
Why does my orchid have yellow leaves?
Yellow leaves on an orchid can be caused by the wrong location, care errors such as waterlogging, dry heating air, sunburn or pest infestation. To resolve the issue, check the location, optimize maintenance and check for pests.
The leaves turn yellow in the wrong location
The foliage turns yellow if an orchid has to stay in an unsuitable location. Therefore, at the first signs, check the general conditions in order to relocate the plant if necessary. The rainforest beauty feels at home in a bright, not full sunny spot with temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 50 to 80 percent. The orchid must not come under the influence of cold drafts or prolonged shade at any time.
These care mistakes cause yellow leaves
If the location meets all the requirements, the following failures in the care program will cause yellow leaves:
- Waterlogging due to too frequent watering
- Dry heating air in winter
- Sunburn in summer
- An infestation with pests such as aphids, thrips, scale insects
If black spots spread before the leaf turns yellow, the dreaded leaf spot disease has struck.
Tip
An orchid leaf turns yellow when it needs to make room for young shoots and leaves. If there is a lack of space and energy to support old and young leaves, an orchid will always choose the next generation and pull in the old leaf. Look out for a Kindel near yellow leaves so that you can use the offspring for vegetative propagation.
