Alocasia plants are used in many gardens because of their attractive foliage and interesting shape. However, sometimes the leaves can curl for a few different reasons. This blog post will cover the top reasons for leaf curl and what you can do to help.
They can be grown indoors or outdoors depending on your climate zone, but they need plenty of sunlight and water to thrive. If you’re wondering why your alocasia leaves look curled and dry, then continue reading…
Why Are My Alocasia Leaves Curling?
Alocasia leaves curl when they aren’t given the correct amount of water or exposed to dry heat/cold wind. Giving your plants the right soil, light, and environment will help prevent curling.
It’s important to only water when the top inch of the soil is dry, provide a consistent temperature, and minimize dry heat/cold drafts.
The causes for alocasia leaf curling are plenty, so you should always check for the top reasons before you give up on your plants. I’ll go through each of these potential reasons and what you may do about them.
How Do I Stop My Alocasia Curling?
You can stop your alocasia leaves from curling by finding the cause and correcting it. Here’s how to do that:
1. Alocasia leaves curling from underwatering
The most common reason for curling is underwatering. Alocasia plants do not like to dry out, so it can be a sign that the soil needs more water when you see your alocasia leaves curling.
Leaves that need more water tend to curl inwards in an attempt to retain more moisture. They don’t want any moisture to escape. This usually happens during summer when the weather is hot and dry.
Water your plant thoroughly until water drains from the bottom of the pot, and then wait for your plant to dry out before watering again. This will prevent your alocasia leaves from drying out and curling to retain water.
2. Alocasia leaves curling from overwatering
If you are overwatering your alocasia plant, it could be causing the leaves to curl. Alocasias generally prefer soil that is moist but not waterlogged.
As such, it’s likely that they’re getting too much moisture if your plants are being more than once per week.
It’s recommended to only water your alocasia when the soil has dried out. You can wait until the top half to one inch of the potting mix is dry before watering again.
While lead curling is annoying, overwatering can cause much more serious consequences to your plant. In fact, overwatering is the number one reason why alocasia plants die.
3. Alocasia leaves curling from temperature stress
Another reason alocasia leaves curl is due to temperature stress. This can be caused by cold drafts, hot temperatures, or even drastic temperature changes.
Try to keep your alocasia plant away from any drafty areas and at a consistent temperature throughout the day/night (between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit).
Heat stress is a common cause of curling or brown leaf tips. In fact, this happens to my plants in the summer if I leave them next to an open window where they receive direct sun. Don’t worry, I have since learned my lessons and only put my alocasia plants in indirect sunlight.
You don’t want to put your alocasia outside when it’s wintertime. If you do have to, make sure you move the plant back inside before temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, as this is another reason for leaf curling.
Alocasia Leaf Curling FAQ
Alocasia plants can be confusing at the best of times, so I will now answer some questions about alocasia leaf curling.
Should curled alocasia leaves be pruned?
No, there’s no need to prune curled alocasia leaves. They’ll return to their normal shape on their own. I only prune leaves if they are brown and dying, as these leaves are no longer functional.
Will curled alocasia leaves uncurl?
Yes, curled alocasia leaves will uncurl if you give them the correct amount of water and prevent any temperature fluctuations. The leaves will curl up again if the conditions that caused the problem return, though.
Are curling alocasia leaves a sign of disease?
Curling alocasia leaves are not a sign of disease. The leaves will curl up naturally as the plant grows, but if they don’t uncurl after it’s done growing then you know there’s an underlying reason that needs to be addressed.
Should I repot a curling alocasia?
There’s no need to repot a curling alocasia plant. If you have been repotting your plants every spring, then it’s time to stop as this will only stress the plant out and cause more problems in the long run.
I recommend only repotting if you suspect the plant has root rot or if the plant has grown too put for the current pot.
Is a curling alocasia something to worry about?
Curling alocasia leaves are usually not something to worry about. However, you should find out what is causing the issue so that it doesn’t spread to other parts of the plant. When left untreated for too long, the underlying cause of leaf curling can cause more serious problems, like root rot.
Conclusion
In conclusion, alocasia leaves sometimes curl up because of the environment they’re in. The amount of water and sunlight your plants receive can also cause them to curl their alocasia leaves, so that is something you should take into consideration as well.
It’s important to follow all of the advice above to ensure that your alocasia leaves stay healthy. If you follow this advice, then it will be much easier for you to grow and care for your plant in the future.
Tim is an avid gardener from the UK. He was the founder of PlantCarer.com from 2021 to Sep 2023. He sold PlantCarer.com to Aaron. He has since started his own business called Seed To Supper, which provides new gardeners all the materials you need in a box (pots, seeds, compost and instructions) to grow your own delicious and nutritious vegetables and herbs from start to finish – no garden required.
0 Comments