Stop Yellow Leaves On Spider Plants With One Simple Fix

Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are known for being incredibly resilient. If you aren't sure how to care for a spider plant, it's fairly straightforward. All they need is a bit of water when the soil is dry. They don't even need much light — or do they? If your spider plant's leaves are starting to fade and turn yellow, it could be a sign that your plant needs more light. You may be able to stop more leaves from turning yellow by moving it to a brighter room in your house.

There is some truth to the idea that spider plants don't need a lot of light to survive. They can tolerate low-light environments better than many houseplants, but if they're left in the shade for too long, you may see stunted growth and yellow leaves. In order to grow and stay healthy, your spider plant needs bright, indirect light. They aren't picky about natural or artificial light, as long as they get at least six hours of light daily on average. Too much light can also cause yellowing leaves, although this isn't as likely with an indoor plant.

If your plant is sitting in a dark room, but you also love where it sits, consider moving it temporarily. For example, if your spider plant lives on your bedside table, but your room stays pretty dark, you don't have to give up the joy of waking up to the sight of it. You can move your plant into a different room during the day to let it soak up the sun, then bring it to bed with you at night. If there isn't anywhere brighter you can place it, you can use a sun lamp or an artificial grow light to feed it.

If you want to be sure that light is the problem, start by monitoring the area your spider plant is in. You don't need to watch it every second, but keep track of roughly how many hours of sunlight it's getting each day. Keep a record over the course of a few days so you can get an average, and account for any cloudy or rainy days in the mix. If the average is less than six hours, you'll need to find somewhere brighter or provide an artificial light source.

If it got six hours or more, look at the type of light it's getting. Is the sun shining directly on its leaves? The yellow leaves may be a sign of sun scorch. If it isn't moved, those yellow patches may dry out and turn brown. You might also need to choose a different window treatment to help diffuse the light. If possible, you can instead move the spider plant further away from the window so the light is less direct.

If your spider plant is getting the right amount and type of light, there are other potential causes to look for. Brown leaf tips on spider plants are often associated with water stress, but the leaves may look yellow before they turn fully brown. Make sure the soil is moist and the drainage holes in your container aren't blocked. It may also be time to fertilize or repot your spider plant. There are spider plant varieties that have naturally yellow leaves, but these varieties should be consistently yellow rather than starting out with white stripes that turn yellow over time.