Why does your Rhododendron japonicum have yellow leaves? Diagnose the cause and fix it with our step-by-step guide.
Japanese Azaleas are acid-loving plants; if the soil pH rises above 5.5, they cannot uptake iron. This results in interveinal chlorosis where leaf veins remain green while the rest of the leaf turns yellow.
Excessive moisture or poor drainage in the substrate leads to oxygen deprivation in the roots. This inhibits the plant's ability to transport nutrients, causing widespread yellowing and eventual leaf drop.
A lack of nitrogen in the growing medium prevents the synthesis of chlorophyll. In Rhododendron japonicum, this usually manifests as a uniform yellowing starting from the older, lower leaves.
Azaleas have shallow root systems that are highly sensitive to drying out. Prolonged dry periods cause the foliage to lose turgor and turn yellow or crispy as the plant enters survival mode.
Your plant might also be experiencing one of these issues:
English
Italiano
