Pothos (Epipremnum aureum, also known as money plant or devil's ivy) is famously one of the easiest houseplants to keep alive, so it's frustrating when those glossy green leaves start turning yellow. The good news is that yellowing is almost always your plant telling you about its care, not a sign of anything sinister, and once you know what to look for it's usually a quick fix.
Below we'll walk through the real reasons a pothos turns yellow, from the most common culprit (overwatering) to simple natural ageing, with clear signs and fixes for each. Work through them in order and you'll usually find your answer within the first one or two.
Overwatering and root rot
By far the most common cause of yellow pothos leaves is overwatering and soggy soil. When the potting mix stays wet for too long, the roots can't breathe, they begin to suffocate, and in time this leads to root rot. Despite its tough reputation, a pothos sitting in constantly damp soil will sulk fast.
How to spot it
- Several leaves yellow at once, often the lower ones, rather than just a single leaf here and there.
- The soil stays wet for days after watering and feels heavy and cold.
- In a real case of root rot, the roots turn brown or black and go soft and mushy, often with a sour, musty smell, and the stems near the soil feel soft.
How to fix it
- Let the top 3 to 5 cm of soil dry out before you water again. Push a finger in to check rather than watering on a fixed day.
- Always use a pot with drainage holes, and tip away any water that collects in the saucer or outer cover pot.
- If you suspect root rot, gently lift the plant out, trim away any mushy brown roots with clean scissors, and repot into fresh, well-draining potting mix. Water lightly and keep it somewhere bright and warm to recover.
A quick rule of thumb: pothos far prefer to be a little too dry than too wet. When in doubt, wait a day or two before reaching for the watering can.
Underwatering and very dry soil
At the other extreme, letting a pothos go bone dry for too long also turns leaves yellow. Without enough water the plant simply can't keep all its foliage going.
The signs here look a little different from overwatering. Leaves tend to turn yellow and then brown and crispy, often with drooping or curling, and the whole plant looks limp and tired. The soil is bone dry and may have shrunk away from the edges of the pot, so water runs straight down the sides.
The fix is straightforward: water thoroughly until it drains freely from the bottom (if the soil has pulled away from the pot, sit the whole pot in a basin of water for half an hour so the mix can soak up moisture evenly), then keep up a regular check so it doesn't dry out so completely again.
Too little or too harsh light
Pothos prefers bright, indirect light, and getting the light wrong shows up in the leaves.
In too little light, older leaves gradually yellow and drop, and the pretty cream-and-green variegation fades back towards plain green as the plant stretches for brightness. At the opposite end, harsh direct sun (especially strong midday sun through glass) can scorch and bleach the leaves, leaving pale or washed-out patches.
The fix is to move your plant to a brighter spot out of direct midday sun, such as near a window that gets plenty of daylight but no harsh beam falling directly on the leaves. A sheer curtain is a perfect filter if your brightest window is a little fierce.
A long-term nutrient shortage
If a pothos hasn't been fed or repotted for a very long time, it can slowly run low on nutrients, mainly nitrogen. This shows up as a general, even pale-yellowing, usually on the older leaves first, across a plant that otherwise looks healthy and is correctly watered.
To fix it, feed your pothos with a balanced, diluted houseplant fertiliser during the growing season (roughly spring through to early autumn), following the dose on the label. If the plant is badly pot-bound, repotting into fresh mix will also top up its nutrients. Go gently, as too much fertiliser does more harm than too little.
Natural ageing
Sometimes a yellow leaf is simply a sign of a healthy, growing plant. It is completely normal for the occasional oldest, lowest leaf to yellow and drop as the pothos redirects its energy into fresh new growth at the tips.
If it's just one leaf now and then, and the rest of the plant looks green and happy, there's nothing to worry about. You can simply pluck the spent leaf off and carry on. It's only worth investigating when several leaves yellow together or it becomes a steady pattern.
A few other things to check
Most yellow pothos leaves come down to the causes above, but a couple of minor factors are worth a glance if you're still stumped:
- Cold draughts and temperature swings: Pothos is happiest at around 18 to 30 C. A spot beside a draughty door, a cold window in winter, or an air-conditioning vent can stress the plant and yellow a few leaves. Move it somewhere more stable.
- Hard or chlorinated tap water: Some plants are a little sensitive to very hard or heavily chlorinated water. If everything else checks out, try leaving tap water to stand overnight before using it, or switch to filtered or rainwater.
If you've gone through the list and still aren't sure which cause fits your plant, you can scan a yellowing leaf with the free Agrosphere app to confirm it's a care issue rather than a disease or pest, and get a tailored fix in plain language.
One last thing: yellow leaves won't turn green again
It's worth remembering that a yellow leaf will not turn green again, no matter what you do. Once you've identified and fixed the underlying cause, you can simply snip off the badly yellowed leaves with clean scissors to tidy the plant up and let it focus all its energy on healthy new growth. Fix the cause first, then prune for looks, and your pothos will be back to its trailing, glossy best before long.
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Open AgrosphereFrequently asked questions
Why is my pothos turning yellow?
The most common cause is overwatering and soggy soil, which suffocates the roots and can lead to root rot. Other causes include underwatering, too little or harsh direct light, a long-term nutrient shortage, and the occasional oldest leaf yellowing as a normal part of ageing. Check how wet the soil is and how much light the plant gets first, as those two explain most cases.
Should I cut the yellow leaves off my pothos?
Yes, once you have fixed the underlying cause. A yellow leaf will not turn green again, so snipping off badly yellowed leaves tidies the plant and lets it put its energy into healthy new growth. Use clean scissors and remove the leaf at the base of its stem.
How often should I water a pothos?
Water only when the top 3 to 5 cm of soil has dried out, rather than on a fixed schedule. That often works out to roughly once a week in summer and less in winter, but it depends on your light, pot size, and home. Always use a pot with drainage holes and tip away any water left in the saucer.
Can a yellow pothos leaf turn green again?
No. Once a leaf has yellowed, that tissue will not recover its green colour. The aim is to fix the cause so new leaves come in healthy, then trim off the old yellow leaves to keep the plant looking tidy.
Does overwatering cause yellow pothos leaves?
Yes, overwatering is the single most common reason pothos leaves turn yellow. Constantly wet soil starves the roots of air and can lead to root rot. Tell-tale signs are several leaves yellowing at once, soil that stays wet for days, and in bad cases soft stems and brown, mushy roots with a sour smell.
How much light does a pothos need?
Pothos prefers bright, indirect light. Too little light makes older leaves yellow and drop and the variegation fade, while harsh direct sun can scorch and bleach the leaves. A spot near a window that gets plenty of daylight but no strong midday sun is ideal.