Pothos leaves turning yellow
Pothos is close to unkillable, so yellow leaves almost always mean one of a small number of things. The trap is that too much water and too little water produce yellow leaves that look similar in a photo. What they do not share is how the soil and stems feel.
First: this is often normal
One yellow leaf at the base of a long vine, every so often, on a plant that is otherwise growing, is ordinary. Vines shed their oldest leaves as they extend.
What it could be, and how to tell
These look alike in a photograph, so each one below lists what you would ALSO see if that is the cause. Work down the list and stop at the one where the other symptoms match too.
1. Overwatering
What else you would see
- soil still damp several days after watering
- yellowing that starts on the lower and older leaves
- soft, dark, mushy stem bases, sometimes with a sour smell
- small flies around the pot, which breed in constantly wet soil
What to do
- Stop watering until the top two inches are dry.
- Check that the pot actually drains and empty any saucer it sits in.
- If stems are already mushy, cut back to firm tissue and root the healthy cuttings in water. Pothos roots readily and this rescues the plant.
- Repot into fresh, free-draining potting mix if the old mix stays sodden.
2. Underwatering
What else you would see
- yellow leaves that also feel thin, dry or crisp at the edge
- the whole vine limp at once rather than one leaf at a time
- soil shrunk away from the side of the pot, and a pot that feels light
What to do
- Water thoroughly until it runs out of the drainage holes, rather than a splash at the surface.
- If the soil has gone hydrophobic and water runs straight through, stand the pot in a basin of water for half an hour to rewet it.
3. Too little light
What else you would see
- long bare stretches of stem between leaves
- variegation fading toward plain green
- new leaves noticeably smaller than old ones
What to do
- Move to brighter indirect light. Pothos tolerates low light but does not grow well in it.
- Cut back the leggy vines. It will branch and refill from the cut.
4. Direct sun
What else you would see
- bleached yellow-white patches rather than whole yellow leaves
- damage only on the leaves nearest the glass
- dry brown papery centres in the worst patches
What to do
- Move it out of direct midday sun, or diffuse the light with a sheer curtain.
- Scorched patches do not recover. Judge by the new growth.
5. Exhausted soil or a rootbound pot
What else you would see
- roots circling the inside of the pot or coming out of the drainage holes
- water running straight through with almost no absorption
- the plant has been in the same pot for two years or more
What to do
- Repot one size up in fresh potting mix, teasing the outer roots loose.
- Feed during the growing season, following the instructions on the label of whatever you buy.
Common questions
Will a yellow pothos leaf turn green again?
No. Once a leaf yellows, that leaf is spent. Fixing the cause stops new leaves from yellowing, but it does not restore the ones already gone. Remove them for looks whenever you like.
How do I tell overwatering from underwatering in a pothos?
Feel the soil two inches down and feel the stem at the soil line. Wet soil with a soft stem is overwatering. Dry soil pulled away from the pot with firm stems is underwatering. From above the leaves look much the same, which is why so many people water a plant that was already drowning.
Can I save a pothos with mushy stems?
Usually. Cut above the rot into clean firm tissue, drop the healthy cuttings in water, and they will root within a couple of weeks. That is often faster than nursing a rotted root ball back.
Before you act on any of this
This is general plant care guidance for a plant, not advice about people or animals. We never tell you whether a plant is safe to eat or touch, and we never tell you a plant is safe for a child or a pet. If a child or animal may have eaten any part of a plant, contact Poison Control (US 1-800-222-1222) or a vet immediately rather than reading further.
Treatment advice here is deliberately category level. We do not give product names, mixing ratios or application intervals. Whatever the label on the product in your hand says is the instruction that counts, and following it is your responsibility.
Where this comes from
The general horticultural facts behind this differential come from published university extension and Royal Horticultural Society guidance. What is specific to this plant, and the order the causes are ranked in, is ours, and the methodology page says where that reasoning stops being reliable.
- Diagnosing Houseplant Problems from Improper Environmental ConditionsIowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Indoor Plants: WateringClemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center
- Lighting for Indoor PlantsUniversity of Maryland Extension
- How to grow houseplantsRoyal Horticultural Society
Other pothos problems
- Pothos leaves curling
- Pothos brown spots on leaves
- Pothos root rot
- Pothos leaves turning brown
- Why is my pothos dying
- Pothos not growing
- Pothos brown tips
- Pothos drooping
Related problems
Not sure which one it is?
PlantRx is an iPhone app that reads the photo and gives you the same kind of ranked differential you just read, for your plant specifically, with the evidence it based each answer on. The first diagnosis is free, in full. There is no subscription and no account.