# Interveinal chlorosis

> Yellowing of the leaf tissue between the veins while the veins themselves stay green; on old leaves it points to magnesium, on new leaves to iron or manganese.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/interveinal-chlorosis.html
- Also written: interveinal yellowing, green veins yellow leaf, yellow between the veins
- Glossary category: Plant biology · Evidence: Established
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Interveinal chlorosis is a yellowing pattern in which the blade between the veins loses colour while the veins stay green, leaving a green skeleton. In cannabis trials, magnesium shortage produced it on lower, older leaves, and iron and [manganese](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/manganese.md) shortages produced it on new and upper leaves (Cockson et al. 2019; Llewellyn et al. 2023).

## In practice

Use location to split it. Old leaves with interveinal chlorosis: think magnesium, often induced by low root-zone [pH](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/ph.md) or excess potassium or calcium. New leaves: iron (smooth, pale, newest leaves) or manganese (netted, upper-middle leaves with small tan spots), usually from high root-zone pH. Check pH before adding any supplement. Early [light bleaching](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/light-stress.md) can also leave veins green at the canopy top, so check light intensity too.

## Don't confuse with

- **[Chlorosis](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/chlorosis.md)** in general: any yellowing, including uniform yellowing where the veins [fade](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/senescence.md) too.
- **Marginal scorch**: yellow then brown leaf edges, typical of potassium shortage or [salt build-up](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/salt-build-up.md).
- **Light bleaching**: pale [tops](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/top-shelf.md) nearest the fixture only.

## Related terms

[Chlorosis](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/chlorosis.md), [Magnesium](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/magnesium.md), [Iron](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/iron.md), [Manganese](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/manganese.md), [Mobile nutrient](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/mobile-nutrient.md), [Immobile nutrient](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/immobile-nutrient.md)

## Read more

- [Magnesium (Mg) in cannabis: interveinal yellowing, targets and the K-Ca competition](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/nutrients/magnesium.md)
- [Iron (Fe) in cannabis: yellow new growth, chelates and pH](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/nutrients/iron.md)
- [Manganese (Mn) in cannabis: netted chlorosis, low-pH toxicity and the iron balance](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/nutrients/manganese.md)
- [Cannabis lookalike problems: how to tell them apart](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/diagnosis/lookalikes.md)

## Sources

1. Cockson P, et al., 2019. Characterization of Nutrient Disorders of Cannabis sativa. Applied Sciences 9(20):4432. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9204432
2. Llewellyn D, Golem S, Jones AMP, Zheng Y., 2023. Plants 12(3):422. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030422
3. Marschner P (ed.). 2012. Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants, 3rd ed. Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2009-0-63043-9