Seeing you worried and trying to figure out what's wrong is a good start. From my perspective as your Chinese Perfume Plant (*Aglaia odorata*), I cannot speak, but I can communicate through my condition. My distress signals are my way of asking for help. Let's work through this together.
My roots are my lifeline, and my current state often starts here. If my leaves are yellowing and dropping, press a finger into my soil. Is it soggy and cold? This means I'm drowning; my roots are suffocating and rotting in oxygen-deprived, waterlogged soil. Conversely, if my soil is pulling away from the pot's edges and feels dust-dry to the touch, I am severely dehydrated. I need consistent moisture, but I despise wet feet. Ensure my pot has excellent drainage and that you water me deeply only when the top inch of soil feels dry.
I am a creature of warm, bright, but gentle habits. If my leaves are looking pale, scorched, or crispy, especially at the tips, I am likely getting too much intense, direct sunlight. It burns me. However, if I am becoming leggy with sparse leaves and large gaps between stems, I am stretching desperately for more light. I thrive in bright, indirect light. Also, please keep me away from cold drafts, air conditioning vents, or sudden temperature drops. I am a tropical plant and prefer a stable, warm environment; temperatures below 50°F (10°C) cause me great stress and leaf loss.
Look closely under my leaves and along my stems. Do you see any tiny webs, white cottony fluff, or small immobile bumps? These are spider mites, mealybugs, or scale insects, respectively. They are sucking my vital juices, weakening me significantly. You can often manage these with a strong spray of water, insecticidal soap, or neem oil. Furthermore, if I haven't been repotted or fed in years, I might be starving. My soil loses nutrients over time. A gentle, balanced liquid fertilizer during my growing season (spring and summer) can provide a much-needed boost.
To help me revive, you must remove the parts I can no longer sustain. Using clean, sharp shears, prune away any dead, brown, or extensively yellowed stems and leaves. This redirects my energy to new, healthy growth. If my roots were rotting, you must act decisively. Gently remove me from my pot, wash away the old soil, and trim any black, mushy roots. Repot me in fresh, well-draining potting mix, ideally with some perlite or orchid bark mixed in for aeration. Choose a pot with drainage holes that is only slightly larger than my root ball to prevent future overwatering issues.
