Elephant ears are one of those plant life that will amaze you for their foliage . The enormous leaves of many specie have lead to the conversational name " elephant ears . " However , develop them might be difficult since you may have to deal with problems like leaf that curl . Want to know why this plant curls and what to do when this happens ? Well , we explore the causes and solutions to this problem to share with you .

Any of the following component may stimulate an elephant ear works to curl :

In break up the curling consequence on your elephant ear , you require to :

giant upright elephant ear is a flowering plant native to East and Southeast Asia, Elephant Ears Curling Up - Causes And What To Do

To keep your elephant ear plants depend as sizeable as ever , we ’ll go into contingent in this post about the reasons for this kink phenomenon and how to sterilise it .

Why Elephant Ears Leaves Curl Up

flora habituate the only language they are subject of using — their outward appearance — to pass on when they are sick such as the curling of the elephant ear leaves . Its curling could be due to several reasons , including the following :

Excess Of Water

If the elephant ear works invite too much water , the leaves may flop or curl . If there is deficient drainage , enough water will have the roots to become wet . Root rotpathogens flourish in these form of consideration . The foliage will draw in and sag , and the foot will appear crumple .

Lack Of Water

tropic plant like elephant ears call for sufficient wet to survive . Leaf curling or drooping may happen if works do not receive adequatewater . The leaves will become ironic and crispy if the folio curling problem is not addressed . They might drop dead in the close .

Excessive Sun Exposure

The Lord’s Day is ideal for elephant ears . But because it makes the plant hyperactive , too much sunlight is bad for it . When the amount of luminosity is overweening , the leaves curl and become brown around the edges . They also become unannealed and crisp . This is like to overheat paperscorching .

Low Humid Environment

Elephant ear plant thrive in humid environments , just like other tropic plants . They command at least 60 % comparative humidness to develop well .

The aura is dry and the moisture content is broken if you rest somewhere that has super low temperatures below 30 ° F or abrasive winter . The elephant ear loses water when the humidity is low . The leaves wilt because of thedryconditions .

Extremely Cold Weather

Elephant ear plant need warm temperatures between 65 ° and 75 ° F for increment because they flourish in tropical climate . High , chilly , or freeze temperatures , as well as cold draft , scandalise the plant , resulting in tissue layer price and cellular telephone dehydration . They become emphasize out by this and curl up .

Inappropriate Fertilizer Feeding

Elephant ear plants are weighed down eater , so course them with extra plant food to make up for their sizing . However , fertilizing when the plant is dormant , overfertilizing , spraying fertilizer on the leaves , or using the wrong fertiliser can cause the leaf to curl or uprise brownish spots .

In an ironic twist , this will make it more prone to illnesses and draw cuss . In worst - case scenarios , the plant might potentially die .

Pest Invasion

Invasion of blighter is the largest danger to elephant ear plants . The plant is devastate by cottonaphids , which drain it of all mineral and nutrients with a fatal payback . you could typically rule themon the undersurface of the . As a result , the plant ’s steady photosynthetic process is hinder , and the leaf curls and deforms .

Hard Water Sensitivity

Your plant ’s appearance and health are significantly act upon by the H2O quality . Fluoride , chlorine , and Strategic Arms Limitation Talks are all found in pat body of water . Hard wateris unendurable to the elephant ear plant . The leaves will finally curl or form brown spots as a result of their discomfort .

Insufficient Spacing

The elephant ear plant is enormous ! They blow up quickly and greatly , particularly when the soil , irrigation scheme , weather , and humidness needs are favorable . Therootsystems of your plant life will require extra domain as it develops and flourishes . The leave crimp up to survive when they are unable to conform .

Drifting Herbicide Vapors

Herbicidesare used to treat encroaching plants , but accidentally freewheel vapors from the sprays might damage your plant ’s tubers and cauterize the corm . As a final result , the industrial plant germinate twisted or whorled stems , scrubby ontogeny , or curving leaf as it spend all of its energy to defend itself against harmful chemicals .

Sudden Displacement

The leave may begin to wave after yourepotit . Do n’t freak out . The plant needs some clock time to become used to its newfangled surround after initially being stun by the abrupt move . It will improve in a few hours .

What To Do When Elephant Ears Leaves Curl?

It is disappointing to see your beautiful elephant pinna leaves curl . But do n’t panic because below are a fewsuggestionsthat will get along in ready to hand when you realize they are n’t looking as vibrant or beautiful as they could .

Establish Proper Draining

Even though your elephant spike may enjoy the water , you should n’t submerge the plant life and soak the ground . allow the soil dry if there are any planetary house of overwatering before apply further water . You should drain any spare water that has accumulated by using a potful with bottom holes .

Schedule Watering

Elephant ear plant squander a mass of urine . Make certain the ground is damp . Schedule lachrymation so that it receives at least 2 ” to 3” . Once per week , water the plant . Especially during the summer , water them every twenty-four hour period . Be careful not to overwater it to the point where water accumulates in the soil and can not run out .

Relocate Into The Indirect Sunlight Spot

A location with indirect sunlight is best for the plant . You should move the plant around the sign of the zodiac as needed throughout the twelvemonth to accommodate change in temperature and sunshine , keep lactating soil , and water the plant oft in the summertime .

Combat Dryness

You could take a few actions to raise the humidness levels . One is to use a humidifier in your home to simulate the climate of the tropics . This will lessen the chance of your indoor elephant ear curling . To raise the air ’s humidity , you’re able to also spray the field .

Think about put your flora in a humidness or pebble tray with weewee . It will maintain moisture in the air and prevent leave from curling .

Protects Against Temperature Drops

Give it plenitude of water during the summer . Although the wintertime sun is pleasant , keep the plant within in a warm , well - illuminate area is preferable to leave it outside .

Temperature drops affect elephant ear plants adversely . The good course of action is todig upthe Tuber and store them in a paper bag in a strong , dry place until spring when you could repot them .

Use Proper Fertilizer Dosages

For your elephant ear plant , you’re able to use a dumb - release20 - 20 - 20fertilizer , which has an equal amount of nitrogen , phosphate , and atomic number 19 along with other nutrients .

Click here to see this 20 - 20 - 20 fertilizer on Amazon .

Once a month , feed the plant by dissolving it in a gallon of piss and exhaustively mixing it . burn off the draw in leaves and wait for them to produce and regenerate if you overfed the plant . Since the flora remains sleeping throughout the winter , fertilizing is not advised .

A photo of Elephant Ears curling up due to environmental stresses

Get Rid Of The Pests

Using a H2O torpedo or hosepipe to spray water so the aphid fall off is a quick approach to get free of them . Alternatively , you could use a cotton wool mop to enforce neem crude oil or rubbing alcohol after diluting them with water .

Click here to see this neem seed oil on Amazon .

Use Softened Water

You have two option : use bottled pee or call for rain . If none of these alternative is useable , you’re able to keep overnight tap piss in an open container . Your plants have an well-situated time thriving since these toxins in the hard water disperse .

Allow Space For The Roots To Expand

If you notice the roots spreading , opt a fictile container with adequate drainage holes , and make certain it is larger than the plant ’s present size . But not so large that the soil takes longer to dry out , and then repot the plant .

Remove The Parts Where Herbicide Was Applied

As soon as you identify a weedkiller as the causal agency of curled leave , you should remove the afflicted leafage to foreclose the weed killer from penetrate profoundly and spreading to the roots .

The only option if you mean it has go to the tubers is to delve it up and look at it . Remove any damaged flora parts in good order away and throw them away . There is no other method acting to save it besides this . Do not occupy ; your elephant ear flora will grow promptly .

Repot On Its Growth Phase

verify the plant life is growing and not in a sleeping state before repotting it . This take a shit leaping or summertime the best times to repot it . If you ’ve followed this linguistic rule and the plant is still not growing , you need to look at the root systems .

Final Thoughts

As you could see , there are a potpourri of reasons why elephant ear leaves might curl up . Your plant life will grow luxuriant and healthy if you provide it with the right environs . If you see any indication of curling , this clause will assist you identify the cause and solve the problem aright off .

Check out some other interesting elephant ear plant facts below .

Are Elephant Ears Invasive ?

a group of alocasia houseplants in the backyard is being watered in the morning

Are Elephant Ears Annuals Or Perennials ?

planter hand giving fertilizer Alocasia macrorrhizos leaf in pot of local plant farm

Invasion of cotton aphids on the back of Elephant Ears plant.

fresh elephant ear leaf

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Green plant In the pot

giant upright elephant ear is a flowering plant native to East and Southeast Asia, Elephant Ears Curling Up - Causes And What To Do