ZZ plants are one of the most popular species of houseplant. They have dark green leaves and a yellow stripe down the middle. But sometimes, these striped leaves turn yellow for no obvious reason. keep reading this blog post to find out why your ZZ plant’s leaves are turning yellow!

Why Are the Leaves on My ZZ Plant Turning Yellow?

Your ZZ plant leaves are turning yellow because the plant has been overwatered, it hasn’t received enough light, or the environment is causing stress.

Let’s now explore the most common causes of yellowing leaves on a ZZ plant and what you can do about them.

1. Overwatering

ZZ plants grow in wet and humid tropical forests, where the soil is always moist. However, this doesn’t mean you should water your plant every day because it will rot if left to sit too long in soggy soil!

The symptoms of overwatering are yellow leaves that fall off easily or stay green but droop downwards. Sometimes, you may also see dark patches on the stem and roots growing out from below the pot’s drainage holes.

If you think your ZZ plant might have yellow leaves due to being overwatered, make sure you do the following:

– Reduce watering to once a week. When in doubt, wait until the top of the soil is dry before watering again. You can check this by putting your finger into the top inch of the soil. Alternatively, you can use a moisture meter if you have one.

– Check that there are drainage holes at the bottom of your pot. If not, add some so excess water can drain away faster and prevent rotting roots from occurring underneath.

2. Not Enough Sunlight

ZZ plants are also sensitive to too little light, which will cause their leaves to turn yellow. However, the symptoms of this problem are a bit different from those caused by overwatering.

If your ZZ plant has been receiving less light than usual and its leaves have started turning yellow, you can tell there is no more time for delay! Move it into direct sunlight as quickly as possible because ZZ plants need at least six hours of indirect sun each day to thrive indoors.

LED grow lights (Amazon link) act as a solution for when it’s not possible to give your plant enough light. They provide the optimal wavelengths of light for plant growth, and they help your ZZ plants grow faster with a lower risk of them turning yellow.

3. Stress

There are a lot of things that can cause stress to your ZZ plant, including sudden changes in temperature or moving it from one location to another.

If you think this might be the problem with your ZZ plant’s leaves turning yellow, make sure you do the following:

– Give it time! Sometimes, yellowing is simply due to environmental factors beyond our control and will reverse itself in a few weeks’ time. Make sure you’re not overwatering and keep providing plenty of natural light for the best results.

ZZ plants require very little care when they’re healthy but they turn into deadly divas if their basic needs aren’t met!

Now that we’ve discussed some common causes of leaf discoloration on these beautiful plants, you’re ready to keep them green and healthy for many years.

ZZ Plant Leaves FAQs

I will now discuss some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to yellowing leaves.

Should I cut yellow leaves off the ZZ plant?

Yes, you should remove any yellow leaves from your plant. Although it may seem like a waste of time, this is actually beneficial because doing so will make the remaining healthy green leaves grow larger and more quickly!

Is it normal for my ZZ plant to lose some of its lower leaves?

Yes, it’s normal for ZZ plants to lose some lower leaves. But if you notice this happening all over the plant, it may be receiving too little light or is suffering from toxicities like root rot.

Will too little light cause my ZZ plant to turn yellow?

Yes, providing your ZZ plant with less light than it needs for at least six hours per day will cause the leaves to turn yellow. This is because ZZ plants require sunlight in order to carry out photosynthesis, which provides them with energy!

Will too much water cause my ZZ plant leaves to turn yellow?

Yes, this is another reason why your ZZ plant’s leaves could turn yellow. This happens when too much water accumulates at the bottom of its pot because there are no drainage holes, and it can cause rotting roots to occur underneath.

Will yellow ZZ plant leaves turn green again?

No, yellow leaves are very unlikely to turn green again. You should focus on stopping any more green leaves from turning yellow.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a variety of causes for yellow leaves on ZZ plants. If you’ve been noticing some drooping or yellowing, read this post to figure out what’s going wrong with your plant and how to fix it!

I hope this post has been helpful! Please do view my other posts on ZZ plants and other indoor plants.

Thanks for reading!