Natural leaf aging

An occasional yellow lower leaf on a healthy plant is completely normal.

Diagnosis

Natural leaf aging

What's happening

Monstera retires its oldest leaves to invest energy in new growth. If only one or two of the lowest leaves are affected and the rest looks great, nothing is wrong.

How to fix it

Snip the spent leaf off at the base if you like, and carry on with your normal care. Keep an eye out that it stays limited to the oldest leaves.

If that doesn't fix it

This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.

Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this