Fading Leaves

Want to learn more about Symptoms: Fading Leaves

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Why is the leaves fading?

There are a number of different reasons why a plant's leaves may fade. For instance, it could be a sign that something's wrong with the environment around your plant

Symptoms

• Fading leaves

• Pale leaves

• Discolored leaves

• Unhealthy color

Common causes

Receiving too much light. Some plants are simply more sensitive than others, and excessive amounts of harsh, direct sunlight can sometimes be damaging. Even plants that usually can handle a lot of direct sunlight might get burnt if not slowly acclimated to it first.

Some species can also turn pale and get fading leaves from drying too much in between waterings. In some cases they can recover again once watered carefully, while other times you'll have to wait for new, healthy foliage to grow.

New growth may emerge with a pale and unhealthy color if a plant doesn't get nutrients regularly enough.

Spider mite infestation is another potential cause of fading leaves. These are very small pests that can quickly take over your plants if left untreated. The foliage turns pale as the bugs slowly eat individual cells in the leaves.

What to think about

If your plant shows signs of nutrient deficiency it might be tempting to feed it a lot all at once to compensate. Large amounts of fertilizer can shock a plant, so instead by start giving it regular additions of fertiliser of a normal dose. Overfertilizing can have long lasting effects so it's best avoided if possible.

Be sure to thoroughly inspect both the undersides of the leaves as well as the leaf surface to check that your plant doesn't have a pest problem. Spider mites often (but not always) create a thin web in the plant that is visible between the leaves and the stem, often close to the top of your plant.