Pocket Botanist
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Check these first
- Touch the soil to see if it feels wet or soggy.
- Inspect the drainage holes to ensure they are not blocked.
- Look for yellowing on the oldest leaves first.
Likely causes
Overwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The leaves turn yellow starting from the bottom of the plant and feel soft or mushy. The soil stays damp for more than two weeks.
What to do: Stop watering immediately and let the top 3 inches of soil dry out completely. If the soil remains soggy, repot the plant into a well draining mix with added perlite or grit.
Nutrient Deficiency
PossibleHow to tell: The yellowing appears uniformly across the leaves while the veins remain green. This often happens if the plant has been in the same pot for years without fresh soil.
What to do: Apply a balanced, water soluble fertilizer diluted to half strength during the active growing season. Only feed once every 4 to 6 weeks to avoid burning the roots.
Find out what's wrong with your flowering spurge
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
It is normal for the lowest, oldest leaves to yellow and fall off as the plant grows. Worry if the yellowing spreads rapidly to the newer growth at the top.
Stopping it coming back
Always wait until the top few inches of soil are dry before watering again. Ensure your pot has plenty of drainage holes.
Flowering Spurge: yellow leaves? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your flowering spurge 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 the yellow leaves?
- Yes, you can snip them off with clean shears to keep the plant looking tidy. This also helps you monitor if the yellowing is continuing to spread.
- Can too much sun cause yellow leaves?
- Usually, too much sun causes bleached or scorched spots rather than yellowing. Flowering Spurge loves full sun, so it is rarely the cause of yellowing.
More problems with Flowering Spurge
Back to the Flowering Spurge 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.