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Check these first
- Check if the soil feels soggy or smells sour.
- Inspect the undersides of leaves for pests.
- Verify that the container has adequate drainage.
Likely causes
Overwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The leaves turn yellow and feel soft or mushy. The soil stays wet for a long time after watering.
What to do: Let the soil dry out completely before watering again. Ensure the pot has drainage holes and is not sitting in a saucer of standing water.
Nutrient Deficiency
PossibleHow to tell: The older leaves turn yellow while the veins remain green. This often happens if the plant has been in the same pot for a long time.
What to do: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength once a month during the growing season. Repot the plant into fresh soil if it has become root bound.
Find out what's wrong with your trailing lantana
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
Yellowing is serious if it spreads rapidly across the whole plant. It is normal for a few older leaves at the base to yellow and drop occasionally.
Stopping it coming back
Only water when the top inch of soil is dry and ensure the pot drains freely.
Trailing Lantana: yellow leaves? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your trailing lantana 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 remove the yellow leaves?
- Yes, you can snip them off to keep the plant looking tidy. This also helps you monitor if the yellowing is continuing.
- Could pests cause yellow leaves?
- Yes, whiteflies can cause yellowing by sucking sap from the leaves. Check the undersides of the foliage for tiny white insects.
More problems with Trailing Lantana
- Why are there tiny white bugs on my Trailing Lantana?
- What are these white dusty spots on my Trailing Lantana?
- Why is my Trailing Lantana not blooming?
- Why is my Trailing Lantana drooping?
- Why is my Trailing Lantana looking leggy?
- Why are my trailing lantana's leaf tips turning brown?
- Why is my trailing lantana dropping its leaves?
- How do I fix root rot in my trailing lantana?
- Why are my Trailing Lantana leaves curling?
Back to the Trailing Lantana 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.