My Ornamental Plant is Dropping Leaves. What Is Causing This?

Have you been watering your plant too often?

Have you been watering your plant too rarely?

Have you been keeping your plant in a place where there is not much light?

Have you been transplanting your plant recently?

Plants usually have very specific watering needs, so if you have been watering them too often that may be the cause of leaf drop. In this case, leaf drop is caused by root rotting fungus which thrives in wet, poorly drained soil. Rotted roots can't provide enough nutrients for plant and it will lose leaves. Reppot your plant, cut off any rotted roots and water it according to its watering need.

Some ornamental plants, need their soil to be constantly moist. If those plants are not watered frequently enough they can respond by dropping their leaves to decrease transpiration to conserve water. Start watering your plant more often and it should stop dropping leaves. Remember not to leave soil completely soaked but just slightly moist to avoid root rot.

Some plants need bright indirect sunlight, and some plants need direct sunlight to grow healthy. Some species of ornamental plants will drop leaves if they don't receive enough sunlight. Move your plant somewhere where it can get more sunlight. Look for your plants' lighting needs and try to provide them exactly that.

Your plant might have suffered from transplanting shock. Transplanting can make a disturbance to the root ball. Plants will drop leaves if their root had been disturbed. Your plant will recover after a few weeks if you provide it with good care.

Your plant might have suffered stress from changes in the environment. Sudden changes in temperature, or lighting or watering patterns can cause leaf drop. This usually happens to newly bought plants, because the new owner can't provide the same conditions as the nursery had. Place your plant in a place where it will have the best conditions to grow and once it recovers from stress, the leaves will grow again.