When do snake plant curl? Identifying the cause of your snake plant leaves curling is the first step to fixing the problem. If you identify the root cause of plant stress and determine how to address it, you will know what to do.
Snake plants with curled leaves are usually infested with insects. Curled leaves can also be caused by overwatering, cold stress, and fungal infections. Snake plant leaves curled up due to which of these reasons is underlying isn’t hard to determine, but in order to fix the issue and restore your plant to health, you should determine which of these factors is responsible. To find out more about why your snake plant’s leaves are curled and how to fix them easily, read on.
Causes
Bugs, fungus, cold damage, and improper watering are the four main causes of curling leaves. Snake plants are especially susceptible to pests such as thrips, which is one of the most common reasons for leaves curling on snake plants.
Thrips
A thrip infestation is the most common problem for snake plants. They are tiny black insects that feed on all plant parts, including the leaves, buds, and stems. During feeding, thrips penetrate the cell walls of plants and cause damage. Your snake plant’s leaves may curl due to this damage.
You can identify thrips by their feeding habits. Snake plant leaves and buds are decorated with tiny black spots when they are infested with thrips. To diagnose thrips, look for these black spots. Verify whether the pest is thrips using a magnifying glass if necessary. The leaves of your plant can also be identified by shaking them over a sheet of white paper. The presence of tiny black insects may indicate thrip infestations.
Mealybugs And Spider Mite
Snake plants are also prone to mealybugs and spider mite infestations. Snake plant pests eat the sap through the stem of this plant. Because these pests create small wounds in the plant, the plant becomes weak and can no longer store enough water in its leaves. As the infestation progresses, you will observe leaves curling and falling from the plant. By shaking the plant while holding white paper under it, spider mites can be identified. Snake plants often suffer from stress if they have small, rotund red and black mites.
Fungus
When do snake plant curl? Curled leaves are caused by fungal infestations in snake plants. Snake plants are typically affected by southern blight and red leaf spot diseases. Observe the leaves curling along with other signs of stress to determine whether this is the issue. There appear to be red lesions or a white web-like growth on the leaves of plants with red leaf spots. As the fungal infection progresses, the curling leaves become dark brown and hard.
Watering Issues
It is common for snake plants to suffer from overwatering, which can cause their leaves to curl. Overwatering the snake plant can lead to water-logged roots. A plant’s roots that are soaked in water will rot and die. Take a look at your watering schedule and soil content to determine if this is the cause of your problem.
Watering your snake plant more than once every few days will probably cause water-logged roots and curling leaves. The same issue could arise from dense clay soil. Keeping your plants regularly watered will remedy snake plant leaves curling caused by water stress. The roots of snake plants need water only once their soils are almost completely dry.
Cold Damage
When do snake plant curl? Snake plant leaves curling can be caused by cold damage. You can damage your snake plant’s leaves if you leave it out at low temperatures, resulting in wilting, curling, and scarring. Snake plants do best when the temperature is between 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit. With such a broad temperature range, it is easy to maintain the right temperature. Keep in mind that plants kept outside for part or all of the year are at risk from low temperatures.