Drooping or wilting leaves on any plant are a sign that something isn’t quite right with either your plant care or the growing environment.
If your Camellia plant’s leaves have started to droop, wilt or are falling over then this is just the plant letting you know that it needs some more attention so you can get it back to how it was.
The most common causes for drooping Camellia leaves include overwatering, underwatering, improper lighting, low humidity and pests.
There are other potential causes but I would check on these issues first.
Underwatering Camellia
I would have to say that underwatering Camellia plants is the main cause for droopy leaves as dehydration can cause the leaves to not be able to hold themselves up like they normally would.
Plus it can be easy to forget to water sometimes which is why this would be one of the most common causes for those wilting leaves.
Depending on a variety of factors such as temperature, humidity, location and seasons, there really shouldn’t be a set watering schedule as this can cause issues later down the road when things do change.
If you have noticed you’ve been neglecting your Camellia, don’t just constantly soak the plant out of panic, instead work on prevention by resuming normal watering habits.
Underwatering is also a big cause of leaves curling up as well.
Solution
When watering Camellia plants, it’s best to check the soil each time before doing so to make sure you are in fact watering at the right times.
If the top 2 inches of the soil have completely dried out then you can go ahead and give your plant a good drink.
However, if the top few inches of soil are still moist or wet then hold off on the watering until that layer is completely dried out.
This can take as little as a week during the warmer seasons or it can take several weeks in the cooler seasons so keep that in mind.
Overwatering Camellia
Now overwatering a Camellia plant is about as common as underwatering and the symptoms can actually be pretty similar such as wilting leaves and other issues.
With that said, it’s much better to underwater than to overwater as the former is much easier to fix and can produce less problems than overwatering such as the buildup of root rot.
The reason why overwatering Camellia’s can produce similar symptoms as underwatering is because if you overwater enough, the roots will become less effective at working for the plant and eventually will stop working altogether if you get root rot.
Solution
To prevent overwatering and root rot, you need to once again have good watering habit’s such as checking to make sure the top few inches of soil have dried out between watering’s.
Also you should have adequate drainage whether it be in the form of well draining soil or by not packing the soil too tight which can restrict the roots ability to do their job.
To figure out the right soil type, check out my article on Camellia soil requirements.
If you suspect you have been overwatering then it’s best to have a look at the roots as soon as you can.
If the roots are firm and white then there isn’t much if any damage done but if the roots are dark, mushy or smell bad then you have rot and you will need to take action to save your Camellia.
In short you will need to trim back unhealthy roots, replant in fresh well draining soil, remove any leaves that have turned yellow or dark in color and then go easy on the watering for a bit.
Improper lighting
Camellia plants grow and look their best when grown in bright indirect light rather than full sun or low light conditions.
In either case whether it be direct sun or just growing where there isn’t much light, this can cause the plant to have droopy leaves.
Too much full sun can also cause the leaves to turn red as well.
Also in really low light conditions, you may notice the leaves start to stretch towards the nearest light source it can find which is known as etiolation.
Solution
Make sure you’re growing your Camellia somewhere that it gets plenty of light to grow, but also has an ample amount of shade to protect the plant from intense sunlight or heat.
This can be done outdoors under trees, balconies or under overhangs.
As for indoor growing, just keep your plant a few feet away from most windows so it still gets enough light, but is also protected from the light being amplified by the window.
Low humidity
In order for Camellia plant’s to look their best, they should have at least 50% humidity levels where they are growing.
Anything under these levels and you may see the leaves on your Camellia start to droop or wilt.
To have these levels outdoors, it will just depend on where you live as for indoors, most homes can accommodate these levels, but if not then there are a few things you can do to increase humidity.
Solution
If you’re having trouble with your plant not getting enough humidity, you can try the following.
- Group other plants nearby so they can all share local humidity
- Try a water pebble tray underneath your Camellia container as the water will evaporate
- Use a humidifier if you have one on hand
Pests
Pests can come and go on all types of plants and Camellia’s are no exception.
Some pests that may latch onto your plant include aphids, mealybugs, spider mites and scale bugs.
These pests like to feed on the leaves of plants, stealing nutrients from the leaves and overall leaving them dehydrated and droopy.
Some signs of pests include white patches or webbing, small white or black dots, holes in the leaves, discoloration of the leaves such as black spots and of course drooping leaves.
Solution
To get rid of most pests you can use rubbing alcohol and a towel to wipe down the leaves, thus removing the pests from the plant.
With that said, some pests such as scales can be harder to remove and may require pesticides such as neem oil or other treatment products.
I like neem oil because it not only removes pests but helps keep them away.
I recommend this neem oil if you don’t have any yet.
Just be sure when you’re using it that the plant is in shade until it dries out as neem oil has a tendency to burn leaves when left in the sun.
Lastly, if you have a pest issue going on, isolate the affected plant so these bugs can’t spread to your other plants in the meantime.