Leaves on an Ivy Plant Are Yellowing & Dying

Environmental Causes

• Ivies often grow rapidly, forming new leaves and vines that spiral over supporting structures or trail across the ground. Some varieties of ivy, such as Buttercup, naturally produce yellow leaves. Bright locations may cause the leaves of this cultivar to take on a brighter yellow shade. While yellow shades are natural for some ivy varieties, the leaves on most ivy plants only turn yellow when stressed. Ivies grow best in indirect, bright light. They prefer slightly dry soil to wet environments. Placing a potted ivy on a tray of pebbles helps keep the roots out of standing water, minimizing the conditions that can lead to root and leaf problems.

Pests

• Spider mites can cause yellowing of your ivy’s leaves. Ivy plants are susceptible to this type of pest infestation. The yellowing from spider mites may first appear as stippled yellowing on the leaves. Upon close inspection, you should see some very fine webbing that indicates the presence of a spider mite infestation. Too much moisture around your plant increases the likelihood of spider mites in ivy plants.

Disease

• Several varieties of disease pathogens can make the leaves of your ivy turn yellow. Leaf spot and leaf blot diseases are among the common bacterial infections that lead to leaf yellowing in ivies and other types of foliage plants. Bacterial infections can cause the leaves to start yellowing in the center, gradually spreading outward to cause discoloration over large expanses of the leaf surface. As the disease progresses the yellow leaves eventually drop from the stems.

Treatment

• Improving the overall health of your ivy plant will help it withstand occasional threats from pests and disease organisms. Keep ivy plants out of direct light and drafts. Keep the soil slightly on the dry side to minimize the risk of both spider mites and bacterial infections. Prune off damaged leaves to help prevent the spread of bacterial infections in ivies. Avoid pruning more than one-third of the leaves at a time. Although an insecticide spray can help kill existing spider mites, these chemical treatments should only be used as a last resort.