Help with money tree rescue

5 years ago

Hi all! I've had this money tree for about 9 months, and it was doing fine until last week until suddenly almost all its leaves started turning yellow and brown. I'm not sure what happened! I have it in a sunny south-facing room, but not in direct light. Any help or advice is appreciated—this was a gift from a dear friend, and I'd love to keep it alive.

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Comments (3)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
5 years ago
This looks conspicuously like sunburn. Can you think of any time in it's immediate past when it was exposed to a full sun load?

Al
Urvi Kumbhat
Original Author
5 years ago
Oh! I did have it on my windowsill one day when i was moving things around. Would you recommend just keeping it out of the sun for a few days and seeing if it bounces back? Thank you!
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tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
4 years ago
The damage isn't reversible, if that was your hope. The increased light load excited molecules in the plant's photosynthesizing apparatus. As the molecules returned to their normal state, they released O- free oxygen radicals, exactly the same O- radicals found in hydrogen peroxide. These free radicals attack the nearest organic molecule (usually chlorophyll) and oxidize it. The tan coloring is evidence of the destruction of the green pigment, chlorophyll. The scientific name for what occurred is photo-oxidation, but is more commonly called sunburn.

Best for the plant would be to let the plant sort it out for itself. Chemical messengers will keep Plant Central informed whether or not the spoiled foliage is still an asset or a liability and the plant will either retain the leaves or shed them according to their ability to pull their own weight.

Al