Why Ficus Benjamina Leave Turning Yellow? Excessive or insufficient water is the main cause.
It is painful Seeing your Ficus Benjamina Leaves Turning Yellow after so much investment and time.
I have invested so much time studying the course on why ficus benjamina leaves turn yellow.
The purpose of writing this article is to identify and address the top 10 primary causes of yellow leaves on Ficus benjamina.
Also, Click this Link for further information about Ficus elastica’s yellow leaves. If you are interested
Why Does Ficus Benjamina Leave Turning Yellow?
The wrong watering technique is a major contributing factor to the yellowing of leaves on Ficus Benjamina.
The wrong watering technique includes excessive or insufficient water supply,
Followed by bad environmental conditions, temperature changes, diseases, and parasitic problems.
Leaf yellowing, however, is not always due to cultivation errors; there are circumstances in which the leaves turn yellow naturally.
In autumn, we bring plants to be kept outside during the summer. The same can happen because the days get shorter and the light becomes dim.
There is no need to always be alarmed if our Ficus benjamina lets some leaves turn yellow and then fall.
In this case, the loss of foliage usually stops on its own once the plant has acclimatized to the new light conditions.
It is an evergreen plant in its original home, but to adapt to our hemisphere, it loses some of its leaves to preserve energy and live even when the climate is inappropriate for its growth.
Having said that, if we are far from the autumn season and the Ficus is yellowing anyway, the causes could be different.
Let’s look at the 10 most common ones, delving into them one at a time.
Old Leave
Ficus benjamina leaves are turning yellow because their leaves are old.
If your ficus tree leaves due to age, this is not a problem. Don’t consider bothering yourself, but I will explain how this happens.
If the leaves at the downside of the stem begin to turn yellow, it is a sign of excretion.
Provided the upper sides are healthy, this is a normal process as the tree wants to shade out some leaves.
The pattern in which plants carry out their excretion is by leaf. Explaining why animals excrete through excretive organs like the anus, skin, liver, etc.
So, if you observe that only the down leaves are shading out, then there is nothing wrong with your plant, but if it is not, keep on reading.
Too Much Water
Ficus benjamina leaves are turning yellow because of overwatering.
We characterized excessive amounts of watering by the fact that it maintains the soil’s moisture level and inhibits the roots from obtaining sufficient oxygen.
In some cases, the issue may not be the quantity of water you give your Ficus plant but rather the type of soil condition. Let me provide more clarification.
Suppose you have compacted soil that stores water. In that case, this will result in water stabilization, and we always make the root wet, resulting in root rot.
Second, using a pot with a drainage hole results in overwatering.
You should always look for a pot with at least four holes or create a hole for yourself.
I recommend looking for a starting soil mix that allows water to drain out and ensures your pot has a drainage hole.
solution
Before watering next time, let the substrate dry well between waterings.
Insert a finger (or a bamboo stick) 5–6 cm into the soil to ensure it is dry, even at depth.
If the soil is too wet, you can move it to a sunny location so the sun can evaporate some water out of the soil.
But if it is stagnant water due to bad soil, the only option is to repot it immediately. To learn how to water a ficus properly, click here to read.
Temperatures Are Too Low.
If given the opportunity to progressively adjust to these climatic conditions, Ficus benjamina is a resistant plant that can tolerate nocturnal temperatures of up to 10°C.
Assume that the plant is exposed to a wide range of temperatures or that the temperature goes below this level. The leaves then become yellow, develop brown necrosis, and finally fall.
Solution
It is advisable to keep the Ficus away from strong winds and in a moderately heated room, ideally between 15 and 28°C.
If you leave it outside in the summer, make sure to bring it inside before the winter season hits.
Little Water
Ficus benjamina leaves turn yellow due to a lack of water.
Although the Ficus tolerates short periods of drought well, delaying watering too much can cause dehydration.
This happens especially during the hot, bright months or when the environmental humidity is low.
Initially, the leaves curve downward and subsequently begin to yellow and dry.
Solution
Water the Ficus benjamina abundantly, making sure to wet the entire lump of earth.
Secondly, you can water it using the
Allow excess water to enter the soil and make it remain fresh again.
The plant will immediately resume growth, and the yellowing of the leaves will cease, but they won’t become green again.
Wrong Watering Method
Watering often with a reduced quantity of water limits root development and tends to keep the soil consistently moist.
It happens, especially if you have the bad habit of watering according to the calendar (every 7 days or every Saturday of the month, for example).
By doing so, you do not have control over the dry/wet cycle that the substrate should undergo.
You risk incurring root asphyxiation or a water shortage, which will result in the leaves turning yellow and falling.
Water the Ficus only when the soil is completely dry and using abundant water.
The excess must be able to drain from the holes in the pot and must then be removed.
To learn more about watering, click here to read about how and when to water Ficus (Benjamina, Ginseng, and others).
Solution
Never follow a routine to water your Ficus; only water when the topsoil is dry. Deep your finger about 2 inches into the soil to feel the wetness of the soil.
To know how to check soil wetness properly, I want to introduce you to the other article I wrote on how to water a bonsai.
This post contains a complete description of the watering process, including a full guide on checking the soil’s moisture level. Are you interested? Click here to read.
Lack Of Light
In conditions of poor light, the amount of photosynthesis produced by the Ficus is insufficient to nourish all the leaves, which become yellow and brown and subsequently fall.
This is particularly evident when moving the plant from a bright place (in which it has produced abundant foliage) to a darker and shadier one.
The same can happen naturally as the days get shorter and we get closer to winter.
Usually, the yellowing and shedding of foliage stop as soon as the plant is able to carry out enough photosynthesis to support the energy needs of the remaining foliage.
Keep in mind that if the foliage is very dense, it may happen that some leaves hidden inside turn yellow.
Excessive Or Insufficient Fertilization
Fertilizing the Ficus too much or too little can make the foliage yellow or cause brown and dry spots.
Click here to learn more about the causes of Ficus turning brown and dry spots.
As you may expect, the causes vary based on whether there is a nutritional surplus or deficit.
Fertilizer that is applied too often or with too much concentration raises the salinity of the soil, which inhibits water absorption and turns the leaf margins yellow and dry.
On the other hand, avoid fertilizing at all since this stunts Ficus benjamina development and results in the elder leaves becoming yellow from a lack of nutrients (nitrogen, for example).
Solution
Fertilize the ficus from April to September with a well-diluted solution every two to three waterings throughout the active growth season.
I suggest applying slow-release fertilizer to the soil’s surface in mid-March or applying fertilizer to green plants at a rate of half that specified on the package.
To know the best fertilizer for Ficus, click here to read.
Changes In Environmental Conditions
An abrupt change in environmental conditions can cause severe stress to Ficus benjamina, which responds by losing its leaves, some after turning yellow and others green. Some examples are:
- The plant has just been purchased and needs to acclimate to the environmental conditions of the house.
- We moved the Ficus from a warm room to a colder one.
- The Ficus beniamino remains exposed to hot air currents or freezing drafts.
- The ambient humidity dropped due to the heating being turned on.
Beyond the specific dynamics in which this happens, what is important to understand is that this is a natural response of the plant to environmental stress.
Usually, the leaves stop yellowing and falling as soon as they acclimate to the new environment.
Solution
Just make sure not to expose the Ficus to hot, cold, or dry air flows, and keep temperatures as stable as possible.
Parasites
This plant can be attacked by various phytophagous parasites typical of houseplants, such as cochineal, red spider mites (or mites), thrips, or aphids.
These insects puncture the leaves with their sucking equipment in order to feed on the sugars found in the sap that has been digested.
The leaves of Ficus benjamina infested by these parasites appear yellow, discolored, or spotted.
Since it is deprived of the result of photosynthesis (carbohydrates), the plant loses its vigor and appears weakened.
Solution
Once the presence of parasites has been ascertained, treating the plant with specific insecticides or spraying oil-based products on the foliage to kill them by suffocation is necessary.
I advise using neem or white oil, spraying on the entire hair (top and bottom) twice or thrice every 10–14 days.
Diseases
Another reason why Ficus benjamina may have yellow leaves is the presence of fungal or bacterial infections.
These diseases usually appear in conditions that are extremely humid and have inadequate air circulation or when the foliage is constantly moist and never gets a chance to dry fully.
Another fungus that damages Ficus roots and makes them decay is called root rot. It can no longer take in nutrients and water.
The symptoms manifest with yellow and brown leaves typical of nutritional deficiency and dehydration.
If you keep Ficus indoors, never wet the leaves before evening or during rainy days. Water only when the soil is dry.
What To Do When The Leaves Of Ficus Benjamina Turn Yellow
Ficus benjamina leaves can become yellow for a variety of causes. Therefore, the first step is to determine whether the yellowing is due to environmental or cultural mistakes or whether it is the leaves’ natural autumn yellowing that occurs before September.
If we are in late autumn or have just brought the plant home, the yellowing is probably due to the decrease in brightness.
In this instance, we have to wait for the plant to adjust to the new lighting. If not, do these actions:
- Feel the soil to see if it is dry or wet.
- Ensure you don’t water too often, but do it well when you do.
- Keep the temperature in the room stable.
- Do not place the Ficus near turned-on radiators or other heat sources.
- Protects the plant from cold drafts
- Inspect the foliage and make sure there are no pests.
There remains the option of a Ficus Benjamina just purchased and brought home.
As a result of the stark differences in temperature, humidity, and light between home and garden environments, it is not uncommon for some leaves to turn yellow and fall.
The plant’s metabolism is affected, and a short period of stress follows, which ends in a couple of weeks.
Conclusions
Ficus benjamina leaves are turning yellow because of issues. You must learn the basics of Ficus. Are you interested? Click here.
Remember, not all signs are issues, but they are temporary depending on the environmental changes, so keep an eye on your plant.
I was invited to read how to revive a dying bonsai tree. Read now.
In this case, consider pruning the Ficus with thinning cuts to improve light penetration.
If you want to learn how to prune ficus Benjamina trees, click here.
Solution
Place the Ficus near a bright window, possibly where it can benefit from a few hours of direct light.
You can also buy a new LED light to make the environment brighter so that the plant can survive.
