Philodendron plants can make for excellent houseplants or outdoor garden additions as they are quite Aesthetic and not too difficult to grow.
Although this is the case, these types of plants can run into issues just like other plants and can let you know something is up by changing it’s appearance such as getting curly leaves.
Common reasons for Philodendron leaves curling include improper watering, pests, too much direct light and over fertilizing.
So here are those reasons why you have curly Philodendron leaves and what you can do about it.
Improper watering
Philodendron plants like to stay at least somewhat moist but not soggy so it may be a little more difficult to determine if you are watering correctly.
Overwatering or underwatering can certainly cause the leaves to curl as this plant will end up lacking water from being dehydrated or if the roots are damaged it won’t be able to properly take in water.
A good way to tell if your Philodendron needs a good watering is if the top inch of soil is completely dry as this means that the lower soil is still moist but not waterlogged.
If all of the soil is moist then your plant is good to go for some time.
If you have been overwatering then you are running the risk of the roots getting damaged by getting root rot which will not only cause curling leaves but can ruin the plant as a whole.
Yellow leaves on a Philodendron are a common sign of overwatering by the way.
Once again you only want to water when the first inch or so of the soil has completely dried out to ensure you will not end up with a waterlogged Philodendron.
If you have not been watering enough, you will end up with curly leaves as they will be dehydrated and not be able to maintain their appearance without proper hydration.
If the soil is entirely dried out, odds are your Philodendron just needs a good drink to return to normal.
Pests on Philodendron
Philodendron plants can also get some types of pests such as Aphids or mealy bugs that will feed on the leaves and drain the leaves of key nutrients, leaving them dehydrated and curly.
Some signs of pests can include white spots, spider web like material, small dots or just holes in the leaves.
Pests may even be the reason for sticky leaves if you have noticed that as well.
You may or may not be able to see the pests themselves on the leaves depending on the type of pest but nonetheless, they can be there and cause serious damage to your plant.
You will also want to act quickly if you suspect pests are the reason for the leaf curl since they can ruin the plant and also spread to others that are nearby.
To fix this problem here are some steps.
First isolate your Philodendron from other nearby plants.
Next you can spray some quality neem oil on the leaves to help treat and prevent most pests from returning.
Just spray at night or in good shade though as neem oil can burn the leaves if left in the sun before it has a chance to dry.
If all else fails, you can use a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol to individually remove the pests that you can see but this is pretty tedious and you can only remove the ones visible to the eye.
That’s why I like neem oil in a lot of scenarios for pest removal.
Getting your leaves pest free could be just what you need to fix and prevent curling leaves on your Philodendron.
For a more complete guide check out this post.
Direct light damage
Philodendron plants really prefer to get bright but only indirect light in most cases as direct light, especially too much of it can scorch the leaves or cause them to curl up.
Too much light can also cause red leaves on a Philodendron by the way.
If growing indoors you will want to make sure your Philodendron is not too close to any window as you run the chance of the suns direct rays to shine directly on the plant.
Instead you will want to find a more shaded area to grow but still gets plenty of partial sunlight at the same time to prevent sun damage.
Too little light will be a problem on it’s own so don’t just put your plant somewhere with no light at all or complete darkness, just reduce the amount of direct sun this plant is getting and you will be good to go.
Overfertilizing
Just like many other types of plants, Philodendron can get some problems when it get fertilized too much or too often.
Overfertilizing can lead up to an excess amount of salts in the soil which can damage the roots and cause the leaves to curl down from the stress among other problems.
You should really only fertilize during the active growing seasons such as during the summer and even then only do it every so often.
You also really shouldn’t be using much fertilizer if any at all during the non growing seasons as this will not only be a waste of the product but can easily cause damage to your plant.
If you suspect you have been feeding your plant too much, you will first need to stop doing so.
Next you should replace the soil and container you were using to get rid of the excess salt that was most likely there so you can start fresh.
Lack of humidity
Lastly, a common cause for leaves curling on Philodendron plants can be due to a lack of humidity in the growing environment.
These plants like moisture and not enough could be the reason your plant is dried out and the leaves curling.
To increase humidity you can either move your plant outdoors if you actually like in an area where it’s plentiful or you can mist the plant regularly to help fix this.
Don’t mist as a watering replacement, only do this if you think your plant could benefit from more moisture and keep your watering practice like it already is.
This should fix the curled or droopy leaves in no time.