Why Are My Chinese Evergreen Leaves Curling? (7 Problems and Solutions)

Why Are My Chinese Evergreen Leaves Curling

Chinese evergreens are lovely indoor plants. Their long, bright variegated green leaves are beautiful in any home.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that your Chinese evergreen won’t struggle if it’s not kept in the right conditions. In their natural tropical environment, these beautiful plants are used to relatively high temperatures, high humidity, and filtered indirect light.

Given the right conditions, your Chinese evergreen can get to about 3ft tall in the stems, with 2ft leaves.

So a Chinese evergreen with curling or yellowing leaves is plant that is stressed and struggling in its environment.

Seeing Chinese evergreen plants with curling leaves made me wonder what even causes their leaves to curl?

Common conditions that cause Chinese evergreen leaves to curl:

  • Overwatering and underwatering
  • Too much direct sunlight
  • Low humidity
  • Overfertilizing
  • Pest infestation
  • Poor water quality

In most cases, Chinese evergreen’s leaves will uncurl when provided with a few days of high humidity, warm temperature, bright indirect light, and filtered water.

Before we provide a quick care guide on the Chinese evergreen, let’s cover the most common issues for curling leaves and their solutions.

Here are 7 reasons why the leaves of your Chinese evergreen are curling

1. Underwatering Causes Chinese Evergreen Leaves To Curl

If a Chinese evergreen goes too long without water then the leaves will begin to curl nad wilt.

Chinese evergreen plants are used to a lot of water due to their tropical background so the soil should not be completely dry for long periods of time.

If you have forgotten to water your Chinese evergreen for a long period of time then just give the soil a deep soak. Allow the excess water to pour out of the drainage holes to ensure that the soil is properly moist but not soaking wet.

2. Overwatering Causes Chinese Evergreen Leaves To Curl

Chinese evergreen plants prefer a high amount of moisture in their soil, but overwatering can cause problems.

One of the biggest issues with overwatering Chinese evergreens is that it will cause the leaves to curl as a result of root rot.

Root rot will develop when the roots of a plant are constantly surrounded by wet soil. The damp and wet environment cause the roots to rot which means the plant, ironically, cannot absorb as much water as it needs.

When To Water A Chinese Evergreen

Follow these steps in order to determine when to water a Chinese Evergreen:

  1. Insert your index finger into the soil 1 to 2 inches deep
  2. Feel for moisture
  3. Water if the soil is dry
  4. Do not water if the soil is wet or moist

3. Too Much Direct Sunlight Makes Chinese Evergreen Leaves To Curl

Since Chinese evergreens are normally sheltered by taller plants in the rainforest, their leaves aren’t designed to handle too much direct sunlight.

Chinese evergreen’s leaves will begin to curl and may even burn, which results in brown spots, as a result of too much direct sunlight.

So if you start seeing curling and brown spots developing on your leaves then the plant is receiving too much direct sunlight.

Providing Bright Indirect Sunlight For Chinese Evergreens

The best way to provide bright indirect sunlight to a houseplant is to simply place the plant near a window but not directly in the windowsill.

If you place your Chinese evergreen in an area and it only receives 2-3 hours of direct sunlight then that location is probably fine. The rest of the day the plant should still receiving bright light but the plant itself should not be illuminated by bright yellow sunlight.

Typically east and north facing windows are ideal locations since they receive minimal direct sunlight throughout the day.

However, there are other options if you do want to place your plant closer to the window so that it improves your room’s decor.

Hang A Sheer Curtain To Turn Direct Sunlight Into Bright Indirect Light

If the direct sunlight is too intense or is harming the plants then you can hang a sheer curtain to dim the lights. Sheer curtains are transparent curtains that allow in a fair amount of light while blocking direct sunlight.

Sheer curtains for indoor house plants

Most indoor houseplants thrive in indirect sunlight so this is a great option if you want to place other types of plants near the sunny south facing window.

Not to mention sheer curtains add a bit of privacy. Sheer curtains can be found on amazon in all colors and sizes.

4. Low Humidity Causes Chinese Evergreen Leaves To Curl

Like many indoor plants, Chinese evergreens are native to tropical areas with relatively high humidity. That can make keeping them indoors more difficult, particularly if you live in a dry climate or are running your heater during winter.

Try to place your Chinese evergreen in the more humid rooms in your house. Typically bathrooms or rooms full of other houseplants have higher humidity than hallways or doorways.

If there isn’t a humid room available then there are a few ways you can increase the humidity for your Chinese evergreen plant.

To increase the humidity around a houseplant, you can:

  1. Mist the plant a few times a day
  2. Place the potted plant over a pebble tray
  3. Use a humidifier

Misting a plant with a spray bottle full of water is pretty self explanatory so let’s cover the other two options for increasing the humidity near the plant.

Simple DIY Humidifier: Pebble Tray

Pebble trays are a simple and effective solution to providing more humidity to plants.

A pebble tray is exactly what it sounds like—a tray of pebbles placed under the potted plant that will catch the water that drains out. It helps keep water away from the roots, which prevents roots rot, and as the water evaporates it adds moisture into the air surrounding the plant.

Most house plants, including Chinese evergreens, are tropical plants that can grow better in a humid environment.

pebble tray for plant humidity

In order to make a pebble tray:

  1. Select a shallow tray that is larger than the base of the plant’s pot
  2. Fill the tray with a single layer of pebbles
  3. Add water so it rises to about halfway up the rocks

That’s it! You have now created a simple but effective pebble tray for increasing humidity.

Next just place your plant on top of the pebbles and add water to your tray if it ever dries out.

Humidifier: Easy Way To Increase Room’s Humidity

One simple solution is to periodically mist your indoor houseplants to increase the humidity. However, this is manual and, personally, I’m too lazy to continually spray my plants every so often.

An easier solution is to place a humidifier in the room with all of your tropical plants. A humidifier will allow you to adjust the settings to provide the right amount of humidity year round.

humidifier for indoor dieffenbachia dumb cane houseplant

I use this humidifier in my room and the water reservoir lasts for about 2 days before needing to be refilled. I highly recommend it for a low maintenance way of keeping the room humid for your houseplants.

5. Too Much Fertilizer Makes Chinese Evergreens Leaves Curl

Indoor plants need nutrients to survive. If your potted plant is growing in moss or coco coir than it will need fertilizer in order to eat and survive.

However, too much fertilizer can cause nutrient imbalances that will damage the plant.

If you suspect you may have over-fertilized your Chinese evergreen then you can do one of the following options:

  1. You can repot the plant with new potting mix soil
  2. You can flush the excess nutrients out by running a large amount of water through the soil and allowing it to drain away

Soaking and draining the soil helps remove the excess fertilizer, but only works if overfertilization was mild.

In most cases repotting is a better option since the plant will be placed in soil that has the proper nutrient balance.

6. Pests Cause Chinese Evergreen Leaves To Curl

Even indoor plants are susceptible to plant pests.

Here are some common pests that can infect a Chinese evergreen:

  • Mealybugs: Mealybugs can be identified by the white-ish cottony growths they create on the leaves of your Chinese evergreen.
  • Spider Mites: Spider mites thrive in dry conditions and leave tiny webbing on your Chinese evergreen’s leaves. These bugs siphon moisture out of the leaves, drying them out.
  • Aphids: Aphids are most common on plants near open windows or fresh from the nursery. Look for them on the undersides of the leaves if you have unexplained wilting or curling leaves.

Treatments for all three pests usually involve insecticidal soap spray and regular watering. Spray the affected areas of the plant directly with insecticidal soap.

Fortunately, there is a way to make homemade insecticidal soap that is kid and pet-safe.

View this guide to learn how to make your own homemade insecticidal soapy spray.

7. Poor Water Quality Makes Chinese Evergreen Leaves Curl

Depending on your local water quality, tap water may not be a good option for watering your Chinese evergreen.

Most tap water contains additives and excess minerals that can accumulate in the Chinese evergreen’s soil. The buildup of chemicals and minerals can interfere with fertilizing and may cause stress on your Chinese evergreen.

Instead of using tap water, consider buying distilled water or at least using a water filter for your plants.

Letting tap water sit in an open container for 24 hours and not watering with the last inch of water in the container is another good option if you can’t buy distilled water or a water filter.

Chinese Evergreen Care Guide

Let’s cover the ideal conditions for a Chinese evergreen so we can understand how to properly care for the plant and prevent the leaves from curling.

Watering

Chinese evergreens need consistent watering. The soil should be allowed to dry almost completely between watering.

The best way to determine when to water a Chinese evergreen is by feeling the soil.

When To Water A Chinese Evergreen

Follow these steps in order to determine when to water a Chinese Evergreen:

  1. Insert your index finger into the soil 1 to 2 inches deep
  2. Feel for moisture
  3. Water if the soil is dry
  4. Do not water if the soil is wet or moist

Bright Indirect Light

Chinese evergreens are a common office plant because they are tolerant of low light levels.

Indirect but relatively bright light is best, but too much direct light can be more harmful than too little light.

So consider putting your Chinese evergreen near a window but not directly on the windowsill.

Placing a Chinese evergreen anywhere in a well-lit room can also work or you can use grow lights to provide the necessary light the plant needs to grow.

Moderate Humidity

Chinese evergreens don’t need the humidity of a greenhouse, but they don’t do well in dry air. Try to place your Chinese evergreen in a naturally humid room.

Otherwise, spray the leaves with a mister 1-2 times a week, or consider getting a humidifier or pebble tray for your plant.

Fertilizer

Chinese evergreen plants benefit from mild fertilization with a balanced fertilizer.

Chinese evergreens don’t have particularly high nitrogen requirements and seem to benefit from liquid fertilizer more than dry or slow-release formulas.

Controlling Pest Infestation

The most common pests of Chinese evergreen can all be treated effectively with insecticidal soap.

Other interventions are rarely necessary, but you can also use store-bought insecticides or apple cider vinegar as supplemental treatments.

Additional Tips

  1. Chinese evergreens need less direct lighting if you live at higher elevation. The sunlight is more intense when you are above sea level, which means the plant is more likely to burn.
  2. Good soil drainage is important to prevent root rot. Make sure water is escaping the pot and not held in by a water saucer or a lack of drainage holes.
  3. Bright color in your Chinese evergreen is a good sign of healthy soil and good light exposure.

Final Thoughts on Fixing Chinese Evergreen Leaves Curling

Chinese evergreens are great beginner friendly plants due to their lower humidity and light level requirements. However, it is more difficult to bring a stressed plant back to life than it is to keep a healthy plant happy.

So make sure to pay attention to a Chinese evergreen plant when the leaves begin to curl as this is an early sign of stress or illness.

Curling leaves are an early sign of a lot of different stresses in Chinese evergreen. It’s important to do a thorough check of your plant as soon as you notice leaf curling to resolve any issues.

Once you’ve addressed all the problems, your Chinese evergreen will bounce right back.

Maintain good conditions and you’ll be able to enjoy your beautiful Chinese evergreen for many years.

Steven

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