Majesty palms are one of the most popular houseplants in the United States. They are known for their beauty and little maintenance, making them perfect for indoor and outdoor spaces. However, that does not make them safe from illness.
Their leaves turning yellow is one of the most prevalent problems that need to be addressed as soon as the early signs appear.
Read: Majesty Palm Brown Tips: Causes and Solutions
Causes and Solutions of Majesty Plants Turning Yellow
The following are the reasons why Majesty Palm turns yellow:
1. Sun Exposure
The best conditions for a majesty palm are bright, indirect sunshine. Photosynthesis can’t happen in the dark; hence, growth will be sluggish. Therefore, you should ensure that the plants are kept in a bright environment with minimum exposure to sunlight.
If the plant is placed directly under the sun, the leaves will face sunburn and start turning yellow, damaging the entire plant.
On the other hand, if the leaves are kept in the dark for too long, they will turn yellow and eventually fall off.
The Majesty Palm will use its resources to grow new leaves in low light. As a result, you may notice that the lower, older leaves begin to yellow.
Furthermore, Chlorosis can also be caused by exposure to too much or too little light. It will cause the leaves to become extremely dry.
Therefore, you must find a spot where it gets medium sunlight. If you’re unsure how much light your Majesty Palm needs, try LED lights.
2. Water
The fronds of a Majesty Palm are extremely sensitive to changes in soil moisture. The sudden changes can cause stress, which in turn might cause your plant to turn yellow. Therefore, you must be careful not to over- or under-water your plants.
Moreover, the soil may not be adequately moistened due to inconsistent irrigation, which can also induce yellowing.
The brightness of the light is proportional to the amount of moisture in the air. The plant will require more water if it is placed in direct sunlight.
However, under low light conditions, water consumption drops because less water is lost via evaporation.
If you care about maintaining the Majesty Palm’s lush green leaves, you should not keep it in a dimly lit room. Instead, you should adhere to environment-specific watering schedules. Water the plant when half of the soil is dry.
3. Nutrient Deficiency
Chlorosis, or the yellowing of leaves, is also caused by a lack of nutrients. It appears on your palms when they lack nitrogen.
Green leaves and other plant organs are produced using nitrogen. When this nutrient is not provided to the plant in bulk, it tends to turn yellow, crying for help.
Therefore, you must choose a nitrogen-specific majesty palm fertilizer for healthy palm tree growth. Growing your trees on a nutrient-rich substrate will also assist.
4. Humidity
Majesty Palm is a tropical plant that needs plenty of water and humidity. The fronds’ tips will become brown and fade to yellow if the air humidity is too low.
If the air is dry, spray the fronds of the palm. It helps in keeping humidity levels in check. If you live in a dry region, you can also get a humidifier to keep humidity levels high.
5. Infestation by Pests
Pests are more likely to infest fragile plants grown in unsuitable settings. The Majesty Palm’s leaves turn yellow when sap-feeding insects drain the plant’s moisture supply in search of food.
Leaves will fall off the plant entirely if the pests aren’t removed. Give your Majesty Palm a lot of love and attention in the form of sunlight, food, and water to keep pests at bay. Check it regularly.
Apply neem oil to the affected areas of your plant and keep it in quarantine for two weeks to help it recover.
6. Over-Feeding
Chlorosis can occur in trees even if they are not malnourished. Too much fertilizer can also cause the same symptoms.
Your Majesty’s palms show symptoms of overeating that are akin to sunburn. Soil with an excess of nutrients might make it difficult for palm plants to absorb moisture, leading to rapid leaf dehydration.
It would help if you only watered the plants occasionally to keep your majesty palms healthy. You shouldn’t use fresh manure to avoid damaging the tree’s roots and foliage. Use compost or well-rotted manure.
Water the trees when the top inch of the soil is dry but the soil is still moist. This can ensure that the palm tree’s roots never run out of water. Adding vermiculite to the grandeur palm soil can help retain water and prevent rapid drying.
7. Root Rot
Too much water in the substrate will cause the majesty palm tree’s roots to suffocate and die; as they decompose, root rot fungi will spread to neighboring roots. You should not water them too frequently to avoid root rot.
Make sure the pots or containers they are in have drainage holes, so you don’t drown them in water. The soil or potting mix also has to drain fast while maintaining enough moisture for the plant’s roots. You may need to switch out the substrate if your plants develop root rot.
8. pH Levels
The soil’s pH is often disregarded when cultivating plants and trees. Majesty Palms may have trouble absorbing nutrients from the soil if the pH is too high or low.
Poor pH levels in the soil could prevent the nutrients from freely moving into the plant roots. It might be responsible for developing Chlorosis.
In general, a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is ideal for majesty palms, which means it requires somewhat acidic soil to thrive. Adjust the soil pH to align with what your majesty palms prefer.
9. Plant Diseases
Your majesty trees are susceptible to assault from mildew, fungi, fungus gnats, and spider mites, all of which can cause the plants to produce weak, yellow or brown leaves.
Remember that pests preferentially target sick or dying plants. Persisting pests can indicate that the trees aren’t doing well.
Overwatering causes the substrate of majesty palms to become infested by fungus gnats. Too much watering is the definitive cause of Chlorosis. Use pesticides suitable for plants to eliminate fungus gnats and other unwanted visitors.
Read: Kentia Palm Potting Mix Tips
What You Should Do if the Majesty Palm Leaves Turn Yellow
You shouldn’t panic just because some of your plants are turning yellow. Follow these directions to outsmart your palms:
ยท Find out the Cause of the Discoloration of Your Majesty’s Palm
The first order of business is pinpointing the cause of the yellowing of the plant. Treating the symptom instead of the underlying reason can backfire when dealing with your majesty palm.
Examine its current environment and past care practices to determine why your majesty’s palm has become yellow. It would help if you remembered that lack of light is the primary reason your majesty palms can become yellow.
ยทGet the Proper Care for Your Majesty Palms
The proper care for Majesty Palm includes:
- Majesty palms require a minimum of six hours of indirect sunlight per day. They need shade in the afternoons during the summer.
- Find a specialized fertilizer for your trees’ needs. Feed your trees every two months during the growing season.
- Majesty palms thrive in humid conditions and require humidity levels of at least 50 percent. Humidity values between 65% and 80% are considered ideal.
- Aim for a range of 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal tree growth.
- Wait until the top two inches of the substrate around your majesty palms are completely dry before giving them further water. Ensure the container has openings in the bottom for water to escape.
ยท Substitute a New Background for the Majesty Palm
This is crucial, especially when dealing with your trees’ substrate. The same substrate will not allow your majesty palms to recover from root rot, soil pH, or any illness that has caused them to turn yellow.
Use a new substrate while treating royal palms. If you’d like to recycle the old substrate, baking it will kill any bugs or bacteria lurking there. Don’t damage the tree roots when repotting the plant.
ยท Analyze and Address the Sources
Before you decide to transplant your majesty palm, check for and treat any underlying problems.
If the roots of your majesty’s palm trees were sick and dead, the trees would appear yellow.
You should trim off the dead roots of your majesty palm even if there are various remedies for the roots of palm trees available at garden centers.
Fungi and other bacteria use these decaying roots for shelter and sustenance. Therefore, you must get rid of them.
Moreover, give the palm’s roots a good rinsing under running water before replanting.
. Trim Your Majesty Palm Tree of Its Wilted Leave.
Not all yellowing leaves always indicate death. You can cut off any yellow or wilted leaves using sterilized pruning shears or knives to restore your palms to their former glory.
Final Word
If you want your majesty’s palms to seem as lovely as they did when their leaves were green, you must take the necessary procedures to handle the situation and eliminate yellow leaves.
Remember, it is essential to determine why they are turning yellow before applying any treatment.
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Hi! I’m Sophia, and I love plants – especially an expert in growing house plants. I stay in Chicago, United States of America, and through my blog and social media platforms, provide tips and tricks on how to grow healthy, vibrant plants indoors. Check out more here.