Pocket Botanist
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Check these first
- Touch the soil to see if it is waterlogged.
- Check the bottom of the pot for standing water.
- Look at the calendar to see if the plant is entering its summer dormancy.
Likely causes
Overwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The leaves feel soft and limp, and the soil stays wet for days.
What to do: Stop watering immediately and let the top 2 inches of soil dry out. Ensure your pot has drainage holes so extra water can escape.
Natural Dormancy
PossibleHow to tell: The plant is yellowing in late spring or early summer as the growing season ends.
What to do: This is a natural cycle for this plant. Simply let the foliage die back completely before removing it.
Find out what's wrong with your lords and ladies
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
When to worry
If the plant is yellowing during the peak growing season of spring, it is a sign of stress. If it happens in summer, it is just the plant going to sleep.
Stopping it coming back
Maintain a consistent watering schedule where the soil stays moist but never saturated.
Lords and Ladies: yellow leaves? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your lords and ladies and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
Get the app · Or check it from a photo now, free
Questions people ask
- Should I cut off yellow leaves?
- If the leaf is fully yellow and dying back, you can trim it off. If it is only partially yellow, wait until it turns brown to ensure the plant has pulled all nutrients back.
- Will my plant die if it goes dormant?
- No, it is just resting. The tuber underground remains alive and will sprout again when the weather cools.
More problems with Lords and Ladies
- Why are there spots on my Arum maculatum leaves?
- Why is my Lords and Ladies drooping?
- Why is my Arum maculatum dropping its leaves?
- Why won't my Arum maculatum bloom?
- Why is my Arum maculatum rotting at the base?
- Why is my Arum maculatum looking thin and stretched?
- Why are the tips of my Lords and Ladies leaves turning brown?
Back to the Lords and Ladies guide
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.