Unhealthy avocado tree - Ask Extension
Hi there. I have an avocado tree that I bought several months ago that isn't doing very well. I bought a small variety that I keep inside my house wit...
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Unhealthy avocado tree #928147
Asked April 12, 2026, 1:27 PM EDT
Hi there. I have an avocado tree that I bought several months ago that isn't doing very well. I bought a small variety that I keep inside my house with a grow light. I researched soil and put together a mix that I thought would work. The tree seemed to thrive for a while but then I went on vacation and the person watching the house forgot to water it. When I got back it had dropped a lot of its leaves. I tried to get it healthy again but more leaves dropped and there was branch dieback on the main stem. I took it out of the pot, thinking it might have root rot, but the roots looked ok to me. I repotted it in a bigger pot with new soil, trying to give it more space. It still seems to be doing poorly, though I only repotted it a couple days ago. My main questions are:
1. Should I cut of the part of the main stem that's dying? If so, can I just do that with sterilized scissors or shears?
2. What do you think might be wrong with it based on the pictures/descriptions?
3. How did the roots look to you? Is it likely that it had root rot?
Thanks,
Evan
Larimer County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi Evan,
It may have been doing too much, all at once, to correct the drought stress. First, moving it to a larger pot may increase the chance of giving the tree too much water. The root system is small, but there's a lot of soil surrounding the roots. This may lead to overwatering.
That said, I would not recommend that you transplant it again. Just regulate the water you're providing. Try to keep it in a sunny window and increase humidity, if possible.
Remove the blackened portion of the second stem - cut it back to a node. Let the other leaves naturally die and fall off, if that's the direction they go. With proper temperatures, regular water (but not too much!), and high light, the tree should form new shoots/growth. The biggest thing is not to fertilize and eliminate stress.
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/houseplants/1304-avocado/
It may have been doing too much, all at once, to correct the drought stress. First, moving it to a larger pot may increase the chance of giving the tree too much water. The root system is small, but there's a lot of soil surrounding the roots. This may lead to overwatering.
That said, I would not recommend that you transplant it again. Just regulate the water you're providing. Try to keep it in a sunny window and increase humidity, if possible.
Remove the blackened portion of the second stem - cut it back to a node. Let the other leaves naturally die and fall off, if that's the direction they go. With proper temperatures, regular water (but not too much!), and high light, the tree should form new shoots/growth. The biggest thing is not to fertilize and eliminate stress.
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/houseplants/1304-avocado/
