Calla lilies are lovely flowers that are also very easy to grow, but there are a number of common issues that can cause their leaves to start turning yellow. The main causes of Calla Lily leaves turning yellow are care issues, rotting roots, caterpillars, and a lack of nutrients. But there are also easy ways to solve each of these problems, and reading this post will allow you to learn all of these different ways so that you can immediately deal with your plant’s problem.
Reasons why Calla Lily leaves are turning yellow
Here is the list of the most common causes of yellow leaves on calla lilies:
Care Issues
The main reason why your calla lily’s leaves are most likely to turn yellow is if you are not taking care of it properly. Care issues aren’t just about providing for the needs of your plant. For example, if you want to transplant your calla lily, there is a good chance that the leaves will turn yellow. It is because transplanting them can cause stress, causing some of their leaves to die. It is a common effect of transplanting because the root will take a little bit of time to adjust to its new location. Other examples of care issues include inadequate watering, unsuitable soil, and fertilizing.
Root Rot
Another reason your calla lily plant’s leaves are turning yellow is that its roots are rotting. You must know that calla lilies’ roots are very susceptible to rotting. When the soil contains too much moisture for the plant’s roots to adjust, this can eventually happen.
Caterpillar nibbles
One of the most frequent reasons for the leaves turning yellow is the nibbling of caterpillars. Caterpillars nibble on the middle or edges of your plant’s leaves, leaving holes or marks that eventually turn your entire plant’s leaves yellow. They will leave visible marks on your Calla Lily leaves, making them appear dirty.
Lack of Nutrients
There is a wide range of nutrients that are essential for your Calla Lilies so that they can maintain healthy leaf growth, including nitrogen. If your plant’s leaves start to turn yellow, it is most likely to be a nitrogen problem. If you notice that the veins on the leaves are still green but the rest of the leaf is yellow, then the lacking nutrient would probably be iron.
Solution for yellowing Calla Lilies’ leaves
- If you think that your calla lily’s leaves are turning yellow because of your lack of care for your plant, then you would want to give your plant a little bit more of your time so that you can take care of it properly. Figure out what your plants lack or what you’re doing wrong, and do the opposite.
- If you start to notice that your Calla Lily’s leaves are turning yellow, and your guess is that it has something to do with the soil, then you would want to transfer your calla lily into soil that drains well. And if you want to transplant your calla lilies in a container, make sure that there are drainage holes in the pot where you are going to transplant them. This will prevent the roots of your calla lily from rotting.
- Dealing with caterpillars in your garden naturally is the best approach that you can take. If you only notice a few nibble marks on your calla lily, you can let the birds eat them. Broken eggshells can also be used as a trap to draw the attention of passing insects, who will lay their eggs on the shells rather than the leaves of your plant. By doing this, you may more easily get rid of them before they can even infest your plants.
- Calla lilies require nutrients in order to properly thrive. If you think that your soil lacks the nutrients that your plant needs, you can try applying an all-purpose or balanced fertilizer. Feeding soil bacteria and worms can also be very beneficial for your plant. However, if you determine that the cause of their yellowing leaves is a lack of iron, you can add some iron chelates.
FAQs
Should I cut the yellow leaves off my Calla Lily?
It depends on why the leaves turned yellow in the first place. If you identified that the cause of their yellowing is a disease, it is better to cut them off before they can spread to the other leaves. However, if they become yellow because of dormancy or old age, you can just let them be on the plant until they fall off or recover. There is nothing for you to worry about because this is just a natural occurrence for a calla lily plant.
How often should you water a Calla Lily plant?
You should water your calla lilies every two days during the hottest months of the year. High temperatures can cause your plant to become dormant and will require less watering. During the fall, when its growth season continues, you will need to water them every 3 days. However, during winter, you can just water your calla lilies once every 10 days.
Do Calla Lilies like the sun or shade?
Calla lilies like both sun and shade, depending on your location’s climate. In warm climates, calla lilies thrive best when exposed to full sun but can also do well in partial shade. In cooler climates, they would love to just be exposed to full sun and can only be grown outdoors as annual plants.
Conclusion
Although calla lilies are hardy plants that require little care, their leaves can quickly turn yellow if minor details are overlooked. Keeping caterpillars, snails, and slugs out is a simple task that is frequently overlooked. Checking the soil’s moisture and applying fertilizer are also simple things that can greatly affect the health of your calla lily plants. It is preferable to prevent diseases and problems than to treat them later so it is important to always take care of your calla lilies.
Elizabeth Mcmillan is a passionate gardener with a strong interest in plants. She used to be a teacher, but Elizabeth has spent the last few years immersing herself in the world of plants, learning about their biology and cultural value and trying out different ways of growing them in her own garden. Elizabeth Mcmillan loves indoor plants, succulents, and cacti, and her friends and family know her as a plant care expert.
