All the Leaves on My Gardenia are Dying and Falling Off

Ask the Expert: All the leaves on my Gardenia house plant are dying and falling off.

The Gardenia’s leaves are turning yellow on the outer edges then turning brown in the middle and falling off. What is the problem and how can it be corrected? – Cleo

Plant Expert Reply: 

Cleo,

Yellowing leaves can be a result of many different issues including fungus, insects, nematodes, insufficient light, temperature changes, over-watering or under watering. It can also simply be a result of the natural aging process. The oldest leaves of a Gardenia often turn yellow and fall off. To correctly diagnose the problem, I will need to know a little bit about the plant’s environment.

Is the problem occurring on lower older leaves of the plant?

Has the light, temperature or watering changed recently?

Do you see any webbing or signs of insects on the plant? You might need a magnifying glass to see the insects.

If you could send me a photo of the leaves that are yellowing that would be helpful. Once we diagnose the problem it should be very easy to correct.

Sincerely