FLOWER STORIESPlants & Orchids
Happy Tree Dropping Leaves: What to Check
When leaves fall right after delivery, check where the plant is placed before you water
When leaves fall right after delivery, check where the plant is placed before you water
When leaves start piling up under a happy tree about a week after it arrives, most people respond by watering more. At this stage, though, leaf drop usually comes from the move to a new spot, not from a lack of water.
This tree, also called 녹보수 (nokbosu, "green treasure tree") or Radermachera, reacts to a change in its surroundings by shedding leaves first. Right after it arrives, doing less is better than doing more.
On the way from the farm to the florist, into the delivery van and finally into an office or living room, the light, temperature and humidity change several times. Some leaf drop during the first 1–2 weeks is best read as an adjustment period while the tree adapts to these changes.
A common mistake during this period is moving the pot around. If you shift it to a brighter or warmer spot every time leaves fall, the tree has to adjust all over again each time.
Choose one spot with bright, indirect light and leave the tree there for 2 weeks. Hold off on repotting and fertilizer during this time as well.
Leaves do not grow back where old ones fell. When pale new leaves start to appear at the branch tips or nodes, though, you can take it as a sign that the tree has settled in.
Search online and you will find overwatering, low light and cold drafts all listed as causes. Looking at the condition of the leaves that are falling gives you a fair idea of which one applies to your plant.
| Leaf condition | Likely cause to check first | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| Green leaves dropping a few at a time just after arrival | Sudden change in environment | Keep it in one spot and watch for 2 weeks |
| Leaves turn yellow and soft, and the soil smells | Overwatering | Stop watering and empty any water sitting in the bottom of the outer pot |
| Green leaves drop all at once overnight | Cold drafts, chill | Move it away from windows, entryways and air-conditioner airflow |
| Inner leaves yellow and fall, and branches grow long and leggy | Low light | Move it to a bright spot closer to a window |
Plants given for business openings and housewarmings often come in a plastic nursery pot set inside a decorative outer pot. Water collects in the bottom of the outer pot and keeps the roots wet, so lift the inner pot out once and check.
Water according to the soil, not the calendar. Push a finger in one or two knuckles deep, and when the soil is dry at that depth, water thoroughly until it runs out of the bottom of the pot. Watering often because the surface looks dry is what leads to overwatering.
In winter, a window that gets good sun during the day becomes nearly as cold as the outside air at night. If leaves touch the glass or the pot sits right below the window, move it a little further into the room at night.
It is tempting to cut back branches that have lost their leaves, but during the adjustment period it is better to wait. Scratch the tip of a branch lightly with a fingernail; if you see green, the branch is alive and new shoots will come in time.
The best time to prune is from spring to early summer, when growth is active. Cut a leggy branch just above a node with leaves, and side branches will grow from below the cut and fill out the shape.
Repot during the same period. Roots coming out of the drainage hole, or water no longer soaking in well, are the signs it is time, and a pot one size larger than the current one is enough.
If leaves are still falling or it is winter, put off repotting. Disturb the roots only after the tree has settled, or it may start dropping leaves again.
For happy trees and other foliage plant gifts, take a look at Arrive in Bloom.
Some leaf drop in the first 1–2 weeks is often an adjustment response to the change in environment. Keep it in one spot and watch for new leaves at the branch tips.
Go by the soil, not the number of days. When the soil is dry one or two knuckles deep, water until it runs out of the bottom of the pot, then empty any water left in the outer pot.
Spring to early summer, when growth is active. If the tree is still dropping leaves, or it is winter, it is safer to wait.
It is fine during the day, but the temperature by the window drops sharply at night. Keep leaves from touching the glass, and at night move the plant a little away from the window.
If you need a foliage plant for a business opening or housewarming, browse the selection at Arrive in Bloom. After delivery, we send you an unstaged photo of the actual plant.
Published October 14, 2026 · by Arrive in Bloom · Flower Editor
