Yellow leaves on prayer plant: causes and fixes

How to tell

Prayer plant is more sensitive than most houseplants to the fluoride and salts in tap water. The sign is yellow or brown edges and tips that spread slowly inward, not an even yellowing of whole leaves. All-over yellowing points to watering, light or feeding instead, so check those first.

The fix

Water with rainwater or distilled water, and flush the soil every few months to clear built-up minerals. Damaged edges won’t turn green again, but new leaves should come in clean.

How to tell

The yellowing comes with dull, fading leaf patterning and pale new growth leaning toward the nearest window. Prayer plant wants bright, indirect light. Together, those changes show that the spot is too dim.

The fix

Move it to a brighter spot. The patterning sharpens back up within a few new leaves, but keep it out of harsh midday sun, which scorches.

How to tell

The soil is bone dry, and the yellowing arrives alongside crispy brown edges rather than soft, mushy growth.

The fix

If the soil is dry, water thoroughly (every 6 to 8 days in summer is the usual pace for a prayer plant), then settle into feeling the soil before every watering rather than watering on a fixed day.

How to tell

Older leaves fade evenly and growth has slowed after many months unfed, but this genus is also easily salt-burned by fertilizer, so don’t overcompensate.

The fix

Feed at a quarter to half the label strength through the growing season, flush the mix with plain water every couple of months, and refresh the top layer or repot if it’s been over a year.

How to tell

One of the older, largest leaves slowly yellows from the outside in over a couple of weeks, while the new furled leaves emerging from the center look completely healthy. This is normal retirement on a prayer plant, not a symptom.

The fix

Nothing is wrong: snip the spent leaf off at its base and carry on. Plants retire their oldest leaves.