Among the usual indoor plants, exotic representatives are often found. Overseas inhabitants are loved by many gardeners. Among them, Zamioculcas is also listed. Its branches are covered with fleshy leaves, so the plant is popular. Florists are especially appreciated for its decorative effect. However, it often happens that culture loses its appeal. Readers very often wonder why the leaves of a dollar tree turn yellow and what kind of care he needs. This is what will be discussed in our article.
A little bit about culture
Zamioculcas is often called a dollar tree. Now it can be found everywhere in offices, schools and in apartments. We began to cultivate the plant relatively recently. However, it has already managed to fall in love with many. The birthplace of Zamioculcas plant is Tanzania, in whose territory the culture grows in arid regions. In addition, it is found in South America.
At home, the plant Zamioculcas blooms. It produces cobs of light pink or yellow. These are the flowers of culture, which do not differ in special beauty. At home, the plant does not produce inflorescences. For flower growers, the decorative look of the dollar tree is of most interest. The plant is considered unpretentious. Very often, the leaves of a dollar tree dry and turn yellow. Florists say that all the problems that arise with the culture are the result of errors in care.
Zamioculcas: Secrets of Care
A dollar tree feels good only in good lighting conditions. Culture is photophilous. However, do not place it in direct sunlight, as burns may appear on the foliage.
In the summer, the tree can be taken out into the open air. But in winter it is better to place the plant in a cool place. It is very important that zamioculcas is not located near heating appliances and batteries.
It is best to put a flower on the south window. But in the north it can exist. True, the leaves in this case will be a little smaller. The plant is undemanding to maintain a certain level of humidity. It can be periodically sprayed, as well as wipe the foliage with a damp cloth. The plant calmly tolerates drought. If you forget to water it, then nothing bad will happen. The tuberous root system accumulates moisture in itself, so the tree is not afraid of drought. Often, watering the culture should not be done so that the roots do not rot. Moisten the soil with warm, settled water.
Why do leaves turn yellow?
Why do the leaves of a dollar tree turn yellow? If you notice that something is wrong with the plant, you should understand the reason why the culture loses its decorative appearance. Do not be too upset at the first sign of yellowing of the foliage. First, remember how long the plant has been growing in your home. Like any other culture, Zamioculcas periodically discards old foliage.
Therefore, a slight yellowing of some lower leaves is a completely normal, physiological process. In this case, there is no need to take any measures. Everything is in order with your pet.
Wrong watering
Why do the leaves of a dollar tree turn yellow? If you notice that the whole plant is changing color or young shoots are drying, you should reconsider the care. Most often, the reason lies in improper watering. The culture tolerates drought. This is due to the fact that its homeland is arid regions. But excessive soil moisture is detrimental to the dollar tree. It is stagnation of moisture that causes yellowing of the foliage. In the wet soil, the tubers begin to rot very quickly. In this case, the leaves near the dollar tree turn yellow. What to do if a similar trouble has occurred with your plant?
Florists recommend urgently replanting the bush in a new soil, removing all rotted parts of the roots. Only in this case you can prevent the process of further wilting. It is very important to remember that a plant needs to be watered very rarely. A signal to moisturize is completely dry soil. It is better to dry the soil than to water it excessively.
However, it is worth observing the measure in everything. Do not over-dry the earthen lump either. Otherwise, you will notice that the leaves turn yellow on the dollar tree. The reason may be a lack of moisture.
Plant illumination
Why do the leaves of a dollar tree turn yellow? Another reason may be insufficient lighting. It is no secret that culture is photophilous. Florists note that the plant feels great on almost any window. However, deep in the room, away from light sources, a dollar tree may suffer from a lack of lighting. In this case, the foliage may turn yellow.
At the same time, an oversupply of the sun can also adversely affect the foliage's decorative effect. Direct rays can leave burns on the green. Most often, this phenomenon can be observed in the summer, if the plant is on the south window.
In this case, it is urgent to shadow the culture or rearrange it in a less lit place. Gradually, the tree will regain its former beauty.
Excess fertilizer
Why do the leaves of a dollar tree in a pot turn yellow? One of the possible reasons may be an excess of fertilizers. Zamioculcases grow very slowly, so often the housewives begin to excessively fertilize their wards, dreaming of quickly getting a beautiful tree. This is where the error lies. An excess of fertilizing negatively affects the development of culture.
Incorrect temperature
Zamioculcas is considered an unpretentious plant. Nevertheless, the air temperature in the room should not be lower than +18 degrees. Otherwise, the leaves may begin to turn yellow, especially if the pot is in a draft.
No less harmful to the culture and high temperatures and dry air. The plant can not be placed near radiators and radiators. Hot and dry air causes yellowing and falling of leaves.
Dollar tree transplant
For any plant, transplanting is a real stress, which sometimes leads to yellowing of the foliage. For the least traumatization of the culture, it is recommended to transplant it by transshipment. An excessively large pot can also cause yellowing. Culture does not like too large tanks. After planting a dollar tree in a spacious container, yellowing of the shoots and decay of the roots can be observed. When transplanting, care must be taken not to damage the roots. Even a small wound causes decay and further decay of the foliage.
Dangerous pests
Despite the fact that zamioculcas is considered an unpretentious plant, it is sometimes attacked by pests. In general, the culture is not prone to disease, because its foliage has a very thick shell. Therefore, it is difficult for pests to bite it in order to eat juices. But still, with improper care, insects sometimes settle on the plant. The most dangerous are the following representatives:
- Spider mite. A small pest settles on the bottom of the leaves. Its appearance can be judged by the sticky web that appears between the leaves and shoots. Insects are so small that they are almost invisible. They look like small black or red dots on the back of the sheet.
- No less dangerous scale shield. Light or brown plaques on plants speak of its appearance. Very often, the pest is not detected immediately, because it is invisible.
- Aphid. Insects can have a different color. Usually they settle on foliage or stems, and multiply at high speed.
- The root worm is the most dangerous pest, because it settles on the roots of Zamioculcas. The difficulty is that it is extremely difficult to detect a pest. You can do this only if you remove the earthen lump from the pot. If there are cotton formations on the tuber, this indicates that a worm has settled on it.
All pests cause yellowing and drying of the leaves. As measures to control insects, it is necessary to use insecticides: "Actelik", "Fitoverm" and others.
Disease
Yellowing of the foliage may be caused by rotting of the stems or root system. These problems are caused solely by the care errors that we mentioned earlier. It is also necessary to pay attention to the soil that you use for transplanting. It is better to purchase a special substrate in stores. It is safe for plants and maximally adapted for them.
Foliage control measures
Many readers are interested in how to revive a dollar tree if the leaves turn yellow. First of all, it is necessary to find out the cause of what is happening. Only by eliminating it can we deal with the consequences. We have listed all the possible options in our article.
If your plant is attacked by parasites, then you can not do without special preparations. In all other cases, it is necessary to establish proper care. In case of root decay, a transplant with a complete replacement of the soil is required.
Even if your dollar tree is badly damaged, don’t worry. Culture has one very important feature. It can be restored from any surviving part. Therefore, the chances of saving the plant are very high.
Although, following all the recommendations, Zamioculcas feels great in any apartment and grows well.
The hardest thing to deal with harmful insects. At first, when there are still a few of them, the bushes can be treated with a soap solution. If there are already many pests, you will have to use insecticides. Most often, several treatments are required.
Instead of an afterword
We hope that our article will help you understand the causes of yellowing of the foliage of Zamioculcus. Now you know how to avoid such a problem and what to do if, nevertheless, your pet has lost its beauty.