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Fukien Tea · Carmona retusa

Why are my Fukien Tea leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing leaves on a Fukien Tea usually point to a watering issue. It is almost always about too much or too little water reaching the roots.

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yellow leaves on a plant
Photo: Trio3D, CC BY-SA 4.0

Check these first

  1. Touch the soil to see if it is wet or dry.
  2. Check the drainage holes for blockages.
  3. Look for signs of root rot like a foul smell.

Likely causes

  1. Overwatering

    Most likely

    How to tell: The leaves turn yellow and feel soft or mushy to the touch.

    What to do: Let the soil dry out until the top centimeter is dry. Ensure your pot has drainage holes so water does not sit at the bottom.

  2. Underwatering

    Possible

    How to tell: The leaves turn yellow and feel crispy or brittle.

    What to do: Water the plant deeply until water runs out of the drainage holes. Stick to a schedule of checking the soil every 2 to 5 days.

Yellow leaves on other plants

Find out what's wrong with your fukien tea

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.

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When to worry

A single yellow leaf at the bottom is normal aging. If the yellowing is widespread or moving up the branches, act immediately.

Stopping it coming back

Always check the soil moisture with your finger before adding more water. Never let the pot sit in a saucer of standing water.

Fukien Tea: yellow leaves? Check yours with a photo

Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your fukien tea 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.

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Questions people ask

Should I cut off the yellow leaves?
Yes, you can snip them off with clean scissors. They will not turn green again.
Is my tap water okay?
Fukien Tea prefers filtered or rainwater if your tap water is very hard. Chlorine can sometimes cause leaf issues.

Guides to these causes

More problems with Fukien Tea

Back to the Fukien Tea 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.