Why Are There Holes in My Plant Leaves?
Find out what may be causing holes, tears, or missing sections in your plant leaves—and what you can do to protect new growth.
A few holes do not always mean your plant is seriously damaged. The pattern, location, edges, and presence of insects or other symptoms can help you narrow down what is happening.
Common Causes of Holes in Plant Leaves
Chewing Pests
Caterpillars, beetles, slugs, snails, and other chewing pests can leave irregular holes or missing sections in leaves.
Insect Damage
Some insects feed on leaves and may leave small holes, ragged edges, or clusters of damaged areas.
Environmental Damage
Strong environmental stress can damage leaf tissue. The damaged area may later dry out and break away.
Damage While Unfurling
Leaves can sometimes develop tears or holes if they are damaged while still tightly rolled or unfolding.
Leaf Tissue Problems
Diseased or damaged tissue can become weak, brown, and eventually fall away, leaving holes behind.
Physical Damage
Handling, pets, moving furniture, wind, or another physical impact can tear leaves without any pest being involved.
How to Identify What Is Causing the Holes
Before treating the plant, inspect both sides of the leaves, the stems, the soil surface, and nearby plants.
- Check the undersides of leaves for insects, eggs, webbing, or residue.
- Look for fresh chewing marks around the edges of holes.
- Inspect new growth because pests may hide around developing leaves.
- Check the soil and pot area for crawling pests or signs of activity.
- Look at nearby plants for similar damage.
- Note whether the holes are round, irregular, clustered, or concentrated along leaf edges.
What Do the Holes Look Like?
| What you see | Possible cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Irregular holes with ragged edges | Chewing pests | Inspect leaves and nearby areas for insects or feeding activity. |
| Small holes appearing repeatedly | Insect activity | Check new growth and leaf undersides carefully. |
| Torn or split sections | Physical or unfolding damage | Look for a mechanical cause or damage on developing leaves. |
| Holes surrounded by brown or damaged tissue | Leaf tissue damage or disease | Look for spots, discoloration, and spreading damage. |
| Large missing sections | Chewing animals or larger pests | Inspect outdoors and around the pot for signs of feeding. |
How to Fix Holes in Plant Leaves
Inspect the Entire Plant
Look over both sides of the leaves, stems, new growth, and the area around the pot. Finding the source of the damage is the first step.
Check for Active Pests
If you find insects or other pests, identify the type before choosing a treatment. Different pests require different approaches.
Separate an Infested Plant
If a houseplant has an active pest infestation, moving it away from healthy plants can reduce the chance of the problem spreading.
Remove Severely Damaged Leaves When Appropriate
Leaves that are badly damaged may be removed with clean tools. Avoid removing healthy foliage unnecessarily.
Correct the Growing Conditions
Keep watering, light, drainage, airflow, and temperature appropriate for the plant. Healthy growing conditions support recovery and new growth.
Monitor New Growth
Existing holes will not normally close back up. Instead, watch new leaves for continued damage and signs that the underlying problem has stopped.
What About the Damaged Leaves?
Once a hole has formed, the missing tissue generally does not grow back. The goal is to stop whatever is causing the damage and protect future leaves.
A leaf with a few holes can often continue contributing to the plant. If a leaf is severely damaged, dying, or clearly affected by a spreading problem, removing it may be appropriate.
Holes in Leaves on Common Houseplants
How to Prevent More Holes
- Inspect new plants before placing them near your existing plants.
- Check your plants regularly so pest problems are noticed early.
- Keep leaves reasonably clean so changes are easier to spot.
- Provide appropriate light, watering, drainage, and airflow for the plant.
- Monitor new growth after treating or correcting a problem.
Not Sure What’s Wrong With Your Plant?
Start with the symptom and work through the possible causes with PlantySolve’s plant problem resources.
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