PlantPalStart with a closer look.
Photograph a concern and compare visible clues with possible causes. When more evidence is needed, learn what to check or photograph next.
Houseplant care,
one step at a time.
A photo, your observations, and your plant’s history help you find a clear next step.
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Photo: Cindy Christian · NC State Plant Toolbox · CC BY 4.0 · Cropped for display.
Make room for context.
Find pruning guidance that explains whether to trim, how to prepare, and what to watch afterward. Advice adapts to the experience and context you share.
Check before you act.
Set watering and feeding checks, record the care you actually complete, and return to your notes to see what changed.
A CLOSER LOOK
Common plant problems
Why are leaves turning yellow?
One aging leaf can be normal. Several yellowing leaves call for a closer look.
Cottony clumps: check for mealybugs
Look for white, waxy insects where leaves meet the stem.
Speckled leaves: check for spider mites
Tiny moving dots under the leaf are more telling than a web on its own.
Pruning guides
Before your first cut
Decide whether you are removing one leaf, shortening a stem or shaping the plant. The cut goes in a different place for each.
Where to cut above a node
When shortening a suitable stem, keep a healthy node on the plant and cut on its tip side.
How to remove a yellow leaf
One fully yellow old leaf can often be removed. If several leaves are yellowing, first check why.
GROW WITH YOUR OWN EYES
A reminder to observe.
A little room to learn.
Photo-based plant-care suggestions can be uncertain. Check your plant and its conditions before you act.