Crown of Thorns Plant Leaves Turning Yellow: Cause and Solution

Coming from Madagascar, the Crown of Thorns plant (Euphorbia milii) is quite easy to care for and relatively robust. It tolerates dry heating air much better than many other plants, but it is also poisonous. However, if you see your Crown of Thorns plant leaves turning yellow, you should react immediately.

crown of thorns plant leaves turning yellow
Yellow leaves on the Crown of Thorns plant are often the result of an abrupt change of location

Usually it is because of the location that the leaves of the Euphorbia milii change color. Therefore, the first aid measure is a change of location. Place your Crown of Thorns plant in a warm and bright place, preferably at a south window.

In summer the Crown of Thorns also feels very good outdoors. Put it in a place protected from rain. There it will recover quickly. This makes it more resistant to diseases and pests.

Crown of Thorns Plant leaves turning yellow:

Main cause: wrong location
First aid: change of location

Pro Tip:

If your Crown of Thorns plant gets yellow leaves, put it in a bright, airy place. It will recover quickly.

Crown of Thorns Plant Losing Leaves

The Crown of Thorns plant is generally considered to be very easy to care for. However, it sometimes reacts to mistakes in care or the wrong location by shedding its leaves. The reasons are different, but most of the time, it can be recovered well.

crown of thorns plant losing leaves
If the Crown of Thorns plant loses many leaves, something is wrong

Forget to water many a time and your Crown of Thorns plant may one day be bare in front of you. The same thing can also happen if it stands in a place that is too cool, because the Euphorbia milii loves warmth. However, it should be a little cooler during the dry period. During this time, heat can lead to leaf loss. Your Crown of Thorns will not bloom without a dry period.

Can I still save my Crown of Thorns plant?

Even if your Crown of Thorns has already lost a few leaves, it can usually still be saved. If you have not watered it enough, put it in a slightly cooler place and slowly increase the watering quantity. With a little luck, you can start the flowering period, which follows the dry period.

The Euphorbia milii may like the warmth in summer, but temperatures that are too hot are just as bad for it as the cold. Make sure that the location of your Crown of Thorns does not get warmer than 30°C. During the dry period, the temperature should not drop below 15°C. By the way, too frequent watering easily leads to root rot and makes your Crown of Thorns prone to pests or diseases.

Causes of leaf drop in Crown of Thorns plant:

Location too dark or too cool
Watered too little
Overwintered too warm

Pro Tip:

Water your Crown of Thorns plant moderately in summer and very sparingly during the dry period. Keep the temperature generally between 5°C and 30°C, then leaf loss will not be an issue for you.