Whether you’re new to gardening or have been growing Camellia’s for quite some time, it may be hard to pinpoint what exactly is going wrong with your care or why your Camellia has been looking extra curly recently.
Thankfully there are a few things you can check on to narrow down what could be causing leaf curl in Camellia’s so you can get your plant looking happy and healthy again.
Some common reasons for your Camellia leaves curling include watering issues, improper lighting, pests, temperature, humidity and container size.
So let’s have a look at these causes and solutions you can apply.
Watering Issues
It can be hard sometimes to find that perfect balance of watering, especially with changes in the seasons or if you’re just new to all of this.
Unfortunately, both underwatering and overwatering can cause Camellia leaves to curl up as the end result is pretty similar between the two.
When you underwater, the leaves get dehydrated and will curl as a sign of lack of moisture in the foliage.
When you overwater, you run the chance of root rot or the roots will become less effective over time which will in turn lead to dehydration in the leaves causing the curling appearance.
Using the wrong type of soil can also play a role in this issue, especially if the soil is not well draining like it should be.
If you want to know what kind of soil to use, check out my article on Camellia Soil Requirements.
Solution
When watering, check the soil each time and once the top 2 or 3 inches of the soil have completely dried out then it’s time to water.
If the top few inches of soil are still moist then hold off on the watering until it’s dry to prevent overwatering.
Also make sure you’re using at least slightly acidic, loose well draining soil high in organic material for best results.
Improper Lighting
Camellia plants love to get a lot of light, but the key is the light needs to mostly be bright indirect light rather than full sun as too much direct light will stress your Camellia and cause curly leaves and discoloration.
Full sun here and there will be fine, you just want to avoid the hot afternoon sun as much as possible to protect your plant from getting burnt or getting really dehydrated leaves from the heat.
Solution
When growing Camellia’s outdoors, find a spot that naturally gets a lot of shade such as under trees, porches, or some kind of overhang to protect the plant in the afternoon.
If you’re growing indoors then you should keep the plant a few feet away from most windows to prevent the sun’s rays from actually touching the foliage as windows can increase light intensity.
Temperature
Cold or warm temperature or wild temperature swings in general can affect Camellia’s foliage and cause curling here and there.
If you have your plant near someplace that gets cold drafts such as near air vents or fans then this can cause curly leaves in response to the sudden changes in temperature.
Although Camellia plants are pretty resistant to extremes in temperature, some varieties are not cold hardy enough to survive deep freezes and leaf curling would be the least of your concerns during these times.
In general anything between 10 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit should be okay for most types of Camellia’s, but you should try to stay somewhere in the middle consistently.
Solution
To prevent leaf curling due to temperature you should do the following.
Grow in warm consistent temperatures.
Avoid growing in areas near cool or sudden drafts.
Bring your Camellia indoors if you expect a winter freeze coming up.
Humidity
Humidity or lack there of is a big cause of curling leaves in plants in general and camellia’s are no exception.
For Camellia plants you should aim to have at least 50% local humidity for the plant to grow and look it’s best as anything under this range can cause the leaves to curl up in response.
If you’re growing outdoors then this may or may not be doable for you, but thankfully indoors can be more doable especially with help from some things.
Solution
Some ways to increase local humidity for your Camellia include the following.
Group other plants nearby so they can share local humidity.
Sit your Camellia container on top of a water pebble tray so the water underneath will evaporate, thus increasing local humidity.
Grow near water sources if possible.
Use a humidifier if you have one available.
Pests
Pests such as Aphids, Spider mites and scales can invade your plant causing your Camellia leaves to curl downwards from feeding on the foliage.
Some signs of pests include but are not limited to holes in the leaves, curly leaves, discoloration of the leaves, webbing or small white or black spots.
Unfortunately some pests are so small you won’t even be able to see them yourself but those are the signs you can look out for when trying to determine if this is the issue you’re facing.
Solution
A lot of pests can be dealt with by using rubbing alcohol and a clean towel to wipe down the leaves, thus removing the pests.
With that said, some pests are more resilient than others and things like neem oil may be needed to completely remove them and help prevent them returning anytime soon.
I recommend this neem oil by the way.
Also if you suspect you have a pest issue, make sure to isolate your Camellia from other plants so they don’t start spreading easily from one plant to another.
Container Size
Having the wrong container size can cause all sorts of issues such as damage to the roots if the container is too small, or poor drainage if the container is too large.
These can also lead to nutrient deficiencies over time as in either scenario your Camellia won’t be able to import these nutrients efficiently.
Solution
If your container is causing curly leaves then it’s time for a repot.
When repotting it’s best to do this during the active growing season for best results and you should select the right container size for the size of your Camellia.
In general you really only want to go up or down one pot size at a time to prevent transplant shock which isn’t terrible but not ideal in the short term.
You just want to make sure the container isn’t too large or too small as both have issues associated with them.
So as long as the roots aren’t pouring out of the container and the water drains in a reasonable amount of time then you have found the right container size.