A yellowing monstera leaf is one of the most common houseplant worries, and the causes range from "completely normal" to "fix this week". Here's how to narrow it down. For general watering, light and feeding questions rather than yellowing specifically, see the monstera care guide.
First: which leaf is yellowing?
Where the yellow shows up tells you a lot.
- One old leaf at the bottom, everything else looks fine. Probably just age. Monsteras shed their oldest leaves as they grow. If the plant is otherwise putting out new growth, cut the old leaf off and move on.
- Several lower leaves, working upward. The classic overwatering pattern. Check the soil before you check anything else.
- New or young leaves yellowing. Less common and worth more attention — often light or nutrient related.
- Yellow patches with brown, crispy edges. Usually underwatering or low humidity rather than overwatering.
The most likely cause: too much water
Overwatering is the number one monstera killer, and it's really a root problem: soil that stays wet pushes air out of the root zone, roots start to rot, and the plant can no longer take up water — so the leaves yellow and droop even though the soil is moist. If drooping is the main symptom you're seeing, overwatered or underwatered? walks through the checks that tell the two apart.
Check it directly: push a finger 1–2 inches (3–5 cm) into the soil. If it's still damp a week after watering, or the pot feels heavy and the soil smells sour, you're looking at overwatering.
What to do:
- Stop watering until the top 2 inches (5 cm) of soil are dry.
- Make sure the pot has a drainage hole. No hole means no monstera, in the long run.
- If the soil stays soggy for many days, slide the plant out and look at the roots. Healthy roots are firm and white to tan; rotten ones are brown, soft and smell bad. Trim the rotten ones and repot in fresh, airy soil (a chunky aroid mix, or regular potting soil with a third bark or perlite).
Second most likely: not enough light
Monsteras tolerate low light but they don't thrive in it. In a dark corner the plant can't use the water it's given, which mimics overwatering, and older leaves yellow as the plant retreats. If your monstera sits more than 6 feet (2 m) from a window, move it closer — bright, indirect light is the target. Direct midday sun scorches leaves, so a spot just out of the sun beam is ideal.
Less common causes
- Underwatering. Yellowing with dry, crispy brown edges, drooping, and soil that pulls away from the pot's sides. The fix is obvious, but water thoroughly: keep going until water runs out of the drainage hole.
- Nutrient deficiency. If the plant has been in the same soil for years and yellows evenly across many leaves, it may simply be hungry. Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength once a month during spring and summer.
- Pests. Spider mites cause a fine yellow speckling (stippling) rather than whole-leaf yellowing, often with fine webbing under the leaves. Wipe the undersides and check with a magnifier if you're unsure.
- Cold. Monsteras dislike temperatures below about 54 °F (12 °C) and cold drafts. A plant next to a leaky window in winter will sulk and yellow.
Will the yellow leaves turn green again?
No. Once a leaf has yellowed it won't recover, and that's fine — the point of fixing the cause is to protect the leaves that come next. Cut fully yellow leaves off at the base with clean scissors.
The quick checklist
- Old bottom leaf, healthy plant → normal, remove it.
- Soil damp for a week or more → overwatering; let it dry out, check roots.
- Dark corner → more light.
- Crispy edges, bone-dry soil → water properly.
- Speckling and webbing → spider mites.
Common questions
Will yellow monstera leaves turn green again?
No, once a leaf yellows it stays that way. Cut it off at the base and focus on preventing the next one. Fixing the cause protects the growth that's still coming.
How often should I water my monstera?
There's no fixed schedule that works year-round. Water when the top 1-2 inches (3-5 cm) of soil are dry, checked by finger, since that interval shifts with light, season, and pot size.
Is it normal for a monstera to lose its bottom leaves?
Yes. One old leaf yellowing at the bottom while the rest of the plant looks healthy and keeps growing is just aging.
Can too little light cause yellow leaves, or is it always watering?
Both can do it. Low light stops the plant from using the water it's given, which yellows leaves the same way overwatering does. Check the light level along with the soil before assuming it's watering.
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This article was researched and written with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publishing. How we use AI