When my leaves begin to turn yellow, I am not simply changing color; I am communicating a significant stressor. This process, known as chlorosis, means I am losing the vital chlorophyll that allows me to photosynthesize and create my own food. Without it, I become weak and my growth is stunted. The yellowing is my primary way of showing you that my fundamental needs are not being met. It is a plea for you to assess my living conditions, as the cause is almost always environmental rather than due to a disease I created myself.
From my perspective, this is the most frequent assault on my well-being. My Mediterranean heritage means I am built for gritty, sharply draining soil. My roots are not equipped for constant moisture; they require cycles of water and air. When I am left sitting in waterlogged soil, my roots begin to suffocate and rot. This root rot prevents me from uptaking water and nutrients, no matter how much is present in the soil. The first symptom I can show you from this underground suffocation is the yellowing of my lower and older leaves, which will eventually become soft and drop.
Conversely, while I am drought-tolerant, I am not a cactus. A complete lack of water is also a profound stress. If my soil becomes bone-dry for extended periods, especially in a hot container, I will conserve my resources. I will sacrifice my older leaves, allowing them to yellow, crisp up, and die to preserve moisture for my newer growth and core structure. This is a survival mechanism. The yellowing from thirst is often accompanied by a dry, brittle texture and may be more pronounced on the side facing the sun or a heat source.
While I am not a heavy feeder, I still require a balance of nutrients. A lack of key nutrients, particularly nitrogen (which is central to chlorophyll production), will cause a general pale yellowing across my entire foliage, starting with the older leaves. However, more common than sheer starvation is a pH imbalance in my soil. I thrive in slightly alkaline to neutral soil. If the soil becomes too acidic, it can lock up certain nutrients, making them unavailable to my roots even if they are present. I am then effectively starving in a room full of food I cannot access.
As a sun-worshipping plant, I require a tremendous amount of light—at least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily. In low light conditions, I become etiolated—stretching weakly with sparse, pale yellow leaves because I cannot produce enough energy. Furthermore, if I have been in the same pot for too long, my roots may have become pot-bound. They form a tight mass that cannot effectively absorb water or nutrients, and the depleted soil has nothing left to offer. This root congestion manifests as yellowing, stunted growth.
