Large, smooth, grass-green and vaguely reminiscent of the leaves of banana plants - these are the leaves of the Strelizia. But they don't always look so flawlessly beautiful. When they curl up, they sound the alarm and show you that something is wrong
Why are the leaves of my Strelizia curling up and what can I do about it?
Rolled leaves on strelicia can occur due to dryness, incorrect watering behavior, pests, drafts or an unfavorable location. Depending on the cause, you should adjust the water supply, repot the plant, control pests or change the location.
Cause: disturbed water balance
The most common cause is a disturbed water balance. Dryness is the top priority. Strelicias need a lot of water because they evaporate a lot of it through their large leaves. They therefore need to be watered regularly, preferably with low-lime water. If the soil is very dry, a dipping bath will help.
Even if the air is too dry, curled leaves can occur. This happens quickly, especially in winter. With the heaters running, the humidity in the room drops. Strelicia suffers from this.
More rarely, wetness in the root area causes leaves to curl. If the soil is too wet, you should stop watering immediately and place the Strelizia out in partial shade or sun, where the excess water evaporates quickly. If the soil already smells putrid, root rot has already struck
Cause: parasitic infestation
Furthermore, an infestation with pests leads to curled leaves in the long term. Scale insects are increasingly appearing on strelicia. But spider mites can also affect them and cause the leaves to curl and brown. Check the plant regularly for pests! They prefer to sit on the underside of the leaves.
Cause: drafts and an incorrect location
On top of that, a location that is too drafty and warm can be the cause. If it is too warm, the Strelizia rolls up its leaves to reduce its evaporation surface. At the same time, it protects itself from strong sunlight. At night the leaves roll up again.
What can you do now?
Quick action (depending on the cause) is required, before the leaves turn brown and dry out:
- Increase/restrict watering
- repotting
- out of the sun and in partial shade
- Ventilate rooms regularly
- Fighting pests
Tip
If the curled leaves only appear on the parrot flower during the day, this is usually due to a location that is too sunny combined with too much heat.
