8 Reasons Your Monstera Leaves Are Turning Yellow (Plus Simple Fixes That Actually Work)

Yellowing leaves is one of the most common problems you’ll deal with when caring for a monstera. It’s frustrating because those giant, deep green, shapely leaves that look like they would have been at home in Eden are the entire reason we grow these tropical vines. Those ailing leaves can be a sign of deeper problems such as rotting roots or a bug infestation.

“There are so many things that can cause yellowing in a monstera,” says Paris Lalicata, plant education and community engagement associate at The Sill plant shop. “Many of them are connected to moisture, too much or too little.”

And sometimes, a yellowing leaf is just part of a monstera's natural aging process. Here are the most common reasons that a monstera’s leaves turn yellow, and how to fix each one so you can keep your plant thriving.

1. Too Much Water

Overwatering a monstera can drown the roots, causing them to rot. The roots won’t be able to take in the air and nutrients the plant needs to thrive, and the leaves will turn yellow. “Water-logged soil will cause yellowing, and it’s one of the biggest mistakes people make when growing a monstera,” Lalicata says.

How to Fix It: Water less often. Let the top 1 to 2 inches of soil in a monstera pot dry out between waterings. “Put your fingers in the soil to test for dryness before you water,” Lalicata says. If the top few inches of soil are still wet, put down the watering pot. If the roots have rotted, you may need to repot the monstera in fresh soil and trim the rotten tips off the roots.

2. Poorly Draining Soil

Monstera likes loose, fast-draining soil. “Heavy soil can hold water too long and cause root rot,” says Lalicata. And again, rotting roots can’t absorb the nutrients and air a plant needs to have healthy green leaves.

How to Fix It: Plant your monstera in a chunky potting mix blended for aroids, or add chunks of orchid potting bark or chunky vermiculite to a potting medium formulated for tropical plants. The bark and vermiculite allow better aeration for the roots and help the soil drain more quickly.

3. Too Little Water

Yellowing leaves can also be caused by dehydration, which results from not giving the monstera enough water. Unlike an overwatered monstera, whose leaves turn entirely yellow, an underwatered monstera’s leaves brown at the edges and become crispy. Then, they turn yellow in the middle as the leaves die.

How to Fix It: Keep your monstera consistently moist. Follow a regular watering schedule so the soil never dries out completely. How often you water depends on factors such as the plant’s exposure to sunlight, air temperature, and humidity.

“It’s not an exact science, when to water,” Lalicata says. Watch your plant, check its soil daily, and make note of when it needs water, Lalicata says. Once you get on a watering routine, stick with it.

4. Insufficient Light

A monstera that doesn’t get adequate sunlight cannot photosynthesize enough sugar and energy to keep its leaves green. “Yellowing can be caused by too little sunlight,” Lalicata says. Sun-starved monsteras may have stunted growth or pale green-to-yellow leaves.

How to Fix It: Move your monstera to a sunnier location where it can receive six hours of bright indirect light daily. If your home doesn’t have a sunny window, get a grow lamp to supplement the sun.

5. Pests

Insects like aphids, spider mites, scale, and mealy bugs can suck the life-giving sap out of monstera leaves and cause them to turn yellow and fall off.

“They don’t take bites out of your plants, they weaken it and make it lose its vigor,” Lalicata says. If lots of leaves on the plant are yellowing all at once, your monstera may have been invaded by pests. Look for signs of insects under the leaves and at the nodes where new leaves develop.

How to Fix It: Spray affected leaves with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Treat it several times a week until the insects are gone. You can also rinse off the insects with a gentle stream of water from a hose or shower, pick them off by hand, or wipe each leaf surface, top and bottom, with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. All of these methods eliminate the bugs.

6. Too Much Fertilizer

Overfertilizing a monstera can cause salt to build up in the soil, which is bad for the plant. “It’s almost like the monstera is drinking salt water,” Lalicata says. “The root tips can burn, and they’ll struggle to take in nutrients and water.” Without those nutrients, leaves may turn yellow and fall off.

How to Fix It: Stop fertilizing the plant. Flush the plant’s soil with water to remove the salt buildup, Lalicata says. Hold the plant under a faucet and run a gentle stream of water through the soil until it runs out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Flush for 30 seconds. Do this for several consecutive waterings on your schedule. If the salt buildup from the excess fertilizer is severe, you may need to repot the plant with fresh soil.

7. Poor Nutrition

Monstera leaves may turn yellow because the plant is hungry. It might not be getting the nutrients it needs to stay green and put out new growth. If the entire plant looks sallow and yellow, give it better nutrition.

How to Fix It: Fertilize the plant, mixing and applying the product according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If it’s been a few years since you repotted it, your monstera may also benefit from new soil. Put it in a slightly bigger pot with fresh soil.

8. Old Age

Sometimes, yellow monstera leaves are old and worn out from making food for the plant. They turn yellow and die to make room for new leaves to grow.

“If your plant is doing great with lots of new growth developing, and you see one leaf slowly yellowing, it may be totally natural,” Lalicata says. All things have a natural cycle, including plant leaves.

How to Fix It: Clip off that tired, yellowing leaf and put it in the compost pile. It did its job well.