African mask plants are my favorite tropical houseplants due to their beautiful foliages and conspicuous veins. But this houseplant can become fuzzy at times due to incorrect African mask plant care.
So, why is my African mask plant drooping? African mask plant droops due to inappropriate watering, incorrect light condition, and temperature stress. Other causes are pest infestations, low humidity, dormancy, and diseases.
I wrote this article to provide detailed insights into the causes of African mask plant drooping and their respective solutions. Time the time to read through and prevent these issues from happening in the future.
Reasons for African Mask Plant Drooping
Overwatering Problem
Many people believe that inconsistent watering habit is the leading cause of African mask plant drooping. But overwatering causes more severe problems than under-watering.
Overwatering makes the soil soggy and waterlogged to prevent air circulation. The condition ends up suffocating the roots and invites fungal growth.
The root rot inhibits water and nutrients absorption for enhancing houseplant survival. Lack of water and malnutrition is the reason for the African mask plant drooping.
Rotting smell with leaves turning yellow and brown are the initial signs of root rot. I recommend isolating the houseplant and re-pot to a fresh potting mix.
Be sure to trim the affected roots with a sterilized plant pruner before transplanting them to a new pot with drainage holes. Ensure the potting mix has better drainage to avoid sogginess.
Under-watering Problem
Most tropical houseplants thrive in slightly moist soil. The moisture helps the roots carry out their physiological activities without any problem.
Inconsistent watering habits will make it challenging for the African mask plant to compensate for excess water loss during transpiration and evaporation.
African mask plant droops due to an under-watering issue. African mask plant leaves curling is another sign of inconsistent watering habits.
Soak the potting mix with distilled water until the excess pass through the drainage holes. Be sure to schedule a strict watering routine to avoid the drooping problem.
Water your African mask plant once a week during the spring and summer seasons due to the active growth rate. Reduce the watering frequency in the winter and fall seasons due to dormancy.
Temperature Stress
African mask plants thrive in a temperature range of 60-80oF (15-28oC). Abrupt temperature changes are the reasons for the drooping African mask plant leaves.
Keep your tropical houseplant away from cold and hot drafts to avoid this African mask plant problem. Cooling vents, heaters, and windowsills are the main sources the drafts.
Use a digital thermometer to help detect temperature changes and create an ideal growing condition for your African mask plant.
Incorrect Lighting Condition
African mask plants thrive well in bright indirect sunlight. Incorrect lighting conditions will impact the health of your houseplant.
Low lighting conditions will trigger dormancy that slows down water uptake and increase the risks of overwatering. Relocate your houseplant to the north-facing window to resolve the problem.
Low lighting also promotes stunted growth and leggy stems. The stems will fall over when trying to reach for sufficient light. Use artificial lights when growing the plant in a dark room.
Direct sunlight exposure will scorch the leaves and even make your African mask plant droop. I recommend relocating the plant to a space receiving indirect sunlight.
Lack of Humidity
The natural habitat of the African mask plant has a high humidity level. Every houseplant enthusiast needs to replicate the condition at home.
Low humidity will make your African mask plant droop and leaves develop brown tips and edges. Low humidity makes the plant transpire at a high rate to increase the risk of under-watering.
Use an electric humidifier to boost the indoor humidity level and save your African mask plant from drooping. Grouping the plant with another houseplant will also increase the humidity level.
I recommend using a digital hygrometer to monitor the indoor humidity level. It will also help tell the minimum and maximum plant humidity requirements.
Ensure the indoor humidity level is above 40% to keep your African mask plant happy and healthy. If the humidity is below 40%, your houseplant will begin to droop and eventually wilt.
Pest Infestations
African mask plants are less vulnerable to sap-sucking creatures. But this does not make the African mask plant invincible to pest infestations.
Thrips, spider mites, scales, aphids, and mealybugs will attack your African mask plant leaves causing curling and drooping symptoms.
I recommend inspecting your houseplant during watering for any signs of pests. Check the undersides of the leaves and petioles for any telltale of pests.
If you notice yellow spots on leaves and drooping issues, it is a sign of severe pest infestations. I recommend using an insecticidal soap spray to kill all the pests from the houseplant.
Remember to isolate the houseplant from others to prevent spreading. Spray the plant every week to eliminate all the pests.
Dormancy Effect
Low temperatures due to winter will trigger the dormancy effect. African mask plant leaves drooping is normal since it is expected during dormancy.
Do not panic since this is a natural cycle for all African mask plant varieties. The foliages will droop and die, followed by re-emergence of new foliages over time.
Dormancy among indoor African mask plants is unpredictable due to controlled lighting and temperature. It will happen when the temperature drops with low lighting conditions.
Reduce the watering frequency when your African mask plant enters the dormancy stage. It will help avoid overwatering issues.
Be sure to provide moderate light and temperature until the active growing period commence. Try exercise patience since dormancy last for a few weeks or more than six months.
Related Questions
Should I Cut off Drooping Alocasia Leaves?
Yes. The old leaves on alocasia will turn yellow and start drooping. Cutting these leaves will help redirect energy to growing regions.
Why Is My Alocasia Dripping Water?
It is a sign that the plant has been overwatered. Alocasia dripping water helps get rid of excess water from the plant. Dripping occur from the tiny pores on the leaves.
Why Are My Alocasia Leaves Turning Yellow?
Yellow alocasia leaves are due to improper soil moisture, low lighting conditions, nutritional deficiency, and low humidity. Investigate your plant to identify the exact cause for quick fixing.
Why Is My Alocasia Drooping?
Alocasia droops due to overwatering, under-watering, temperature stress, low humidity, incorrect lighting, and transplant shock. Fixing these problems are quite easy.
Why Are My Alocasia Leaves Rotting?
Alocasia leaves rot due to bacterial leaf spot diseases. I recommend isolating the plant and trim off the affected leaves. Remember to treat the plant with antibacterial solution to fix the disease.
Final Words
I hope this article guide was helpful. Always remember that the watering problem is the leading cause of African mask plant drooping. Investigate the potting soil moisture first before suspecting other factors.
Ultimate African mask plant care will help prevent this problem from occurring. Take the time to investigate your plant and try to identify the exact cause. Consider approaches that will help fix the African mask plant problem.
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