Snake plants, also known as Sansevieria plants, come in a variety of varieties.
Sansevieria trifasciata (or Dracaena trifasciata) is the most popular variety and is commonly known as mother-in-law’s tongue.
It is one of the most common houseplants that can be grown indoors and outdoors.
Snake plants are known for their upright leaves which are green in the center, with pale yellow borders. Some varieties also have naturally yellow and curling leaves with dark-yellow stripes.
However, pale yellow coloring over the entire leaf signals a serious problem.
Seeing the lush green foliage turn yellow can be disheartening. Especially if it’s accompanied by slight curling of the leaf.
Why Is My Snake Plant Turning Yellow?
Snake plant leaves turn yellow because of overwatering, underwatering, root rot, pests, direct sunlight, overfertilization, and fungal diseases.
If the plant is given a favorable environment, it will quickly recover.
Improper Soil Moisture
The leaves of snake plants are thick and fleshy, and they keep water for a long time. Therefore, they don’t require much watering.
If you overwater the plant, it begins to die. Snake plants need to be watered every 2-3 days, and the soil must be allowed to dry between waterings.
Too little water will cause snake plants to dry out, while too much water will cause root rot. Snake plants’ yellow leaves are caused by overwatering and root rot.
The leaves of an overwatered plant will not only turn yellow, but will also become mushy and soggy.
When the soil remains wet for a long time, the yellow patches turn brown, and you will notice a faint odor. Moreover, the leaves are easier to pull out and are not as firm as they should be.
Soil Is Lacking Certain Nutrition And Elements
It is possible for inconsistent watering schedules to cause waterlogged soil or dry soil, and dry soil means the plant cannot absorb enough moisture. As a result, healthy foliage turns yellow.
Yellowing can also be caused by soil lacking certain trace elements. It’s important to use a nutrient-rich fertilizer during the growing season to prevent nutrient deficiency.
Soil And Pot Has Poor Drainage
You have to replant the plant in fresh soil with better drainage if the current soil remains wet weeks after watering.
You should also avoid peat moss-rich potting soil and compost to improve air circulation.
You shouldn’t be afraid to use a cactus and succulent soil mix that is well balanced. In addition to perlite, use it in your potting mix to provide better airflow. Ultimately, this will prevent root rot and yellow leaves.
Finally, be sure that the drainage hole in your pot or container is not blocked since compacted soil causes root rot.
We highly recommend these pots for snake plants if you are looking for well-draining pots. They are good-looking, lightweight, and most importantly, drain excess water.
Too Much Direct Sunlight
Leaving your snake plant in the scorching sun for too long will cause the leaves to turn yellow.
Remove the plant and bring it indoors to receive indirect light or transport it to a shady location.
Plants called snake plants love sunshine, but they don’t tolerate excessive sunlight, especially in peak summer months. Even if you keep your plant indoors on a windowpane, it can still get sunburned.
This causes the entire plant to lose moisture, and the leaves to dry out.
To prevent direct sun exposure, cover the plant with burlap if it is outdoors. You can move it indoors if it’s indoors.
If you move the plant, you can examine it for a few weeks to see if the problem has been solved.
Insect Infestation
Succulents like the snake plant are commonly attacked by spider mites, soft scales, and mealybugs.
An infestation of pests can turn a plant’s leaves yellow by sucking out chlorophyll and other nutrients.
Pests are carried by plants and humans. To prevent pests from attacking your snake plants, inspect each plant when you bring it home.
It is important to remove infected plants from all your other plants if you see signs of infestation on one of them.
Wash your plant with a strong stream of water next. Neem oil, insecticidal soaps, and other pesticides should be applied once a week to kill pests, especially to disrupt the pest’s life cycle.
It is also important to spray it on the underside of the leaves, where bugs hide.
Whenever you encounter pests, we usually use this insecticide that contains Neem oil. It is highly effective against the most common insects you will encounter.
There’s Too Much Cold Weather And Climate
Warmer temperatures are ideal for snake plants. The cold damages the cell walls of leaves, impairing water flow and affecting nutrient uptake.
In this case, the plants will be unable to take up moisture from the roots, which results in yellow leaves.
Frostbite can kill your plants in cold weather since they are topical. Also, a long period of contact with a cold surface can kill the leaves of an indoor plant.
Plants need to be kept warm and above 50°F (10°C). Snake plants will not survive if the temperature drops below freezing.
Fungal Diseases
Fungal diseases are common in snake plants. Long leaves can hold on to moisture for a long time, causing them to become rotten.
A yellowish-brown spot on your plant indicates that a fungus is attacking it.
Wet soil is the breeding ground for this fungus. Similarly, poor air circulation and contaminated soil can contribute to the spread of fungal diseases.
Root rot is caused when fungus wraps around the roots of the plant. Without treatment, the whole plant will collapse and wilt.
It is best to quarantine the plant in a place with no other plants around to prevent the spread of the infection.
Replacing the soil and repotting the snake plant is the next step.
How Can I Restore My Yellow Snake Plant?
If you want to maintain the health of your snake plant, you must correct the issue that has caused the yellow leaves in the first place.
Maintain a consistent watering schedule, keep the plant in bright filtered light, and look for fungi growth.
Consider moving your plant to a larger pot if the roots are tightly wrapped around the root ball.
Should I Remove Yellow Leaves Off My Snake Plant?
It would be helpful if you cut off all yellow leaves from your snake plant in order to encourage them to grow healthy leaves.
If the roots are still healthy, you can repot the plant into a new pot with better drainage.