Check these first
- Check the soil moisture level.
- Inspect the drainage holes for blockages.
- Look for signs of yellowing on lower versus upper leaves.
Likely causes
Overwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The lower leaves turn yellow and feel soft or mushy.
What to do: Stop watering immediately and let the top inch of soil dry out completely. Ensure your pot has drainage holes so excess water can escape.
Nutrient Deficiency
PossibleHow to tell: Older leaves turn yellow while the veins remain green.
What to do: Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength. Do this once a month during the growing season.
Find out what's wrong with your scentless mayweed
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 yellowing spreads rapidly across the whole plant, it is a sign of root distress. A single yellow leaf at the base is often just a natural part of the plant aging.
Stopping it coming back
Only water when the top inch of soil is dry and avoid letting the pot sit in standing water.
Scentless Mayweed: yellow leaves? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your scentless mayweed 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 scissors to keep the plant looking tidy. They will not turn green again.
- Does yellowing mean I have a pest?
- Usually not, but check the undersides of leaves just in case. Yellowing is more often related to water or soil issues.
More problems with Scentless Mayweed
- Why is my Scentless Mayweed looking so leggy?
- What are these spots on my Scentless Mayweed?
- Why is my Scentless Mayweed drooping?
- Why is my Scentless Mayweed not flowering?
- Why are my Scentless Mayweed tips turning brown?
- Why are there bugs on my Scentless Mayweed?
- Is my Scentless Mayweed suffering from root rot?
- Why are my Scentless Mayweed leaves curling?
Back to the Scentless Mayweed 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.

