Cyclamens come in many types and colors. Indoor cyclamens are particularly popular because they show off their flowers in the winter months and are therefore often kept as houseplants. But what to do when cyclamen leaves curl up?
Why do cyclamen leaves curl up?
If the leaves of cyclamen curl up, there is often a care error, such as too much moisture, waterlogging, a location that is too warm or pest infestation such as spider mites. Identify the cause and act accordingly to save the plant.
Why do cyclamen leaves curl up?
A he althy cyclamen (cyclamen) has leaves and, during the flowering period in winter, flowers that are firmly upright. However, if the leaves suddenly curl up, this is usually due to care errors. There are various reasons for this:
- too much moisture / waterlogging
- location too warm
- Pest infestation, especially with spider mites
Carefully check which of the above causes is responsible for the curled leaves. Since, as the old saying goes, you can have “fleas and lice,” the symptom can also be caused by multiple triggers. For example, a spider mite infestation is common in a location that is too warm and dry, as the pests like both and encounter a plant that is weakened by the wrong place.
What can you do about waterlogging of the cyclamen?
In most cases, curled leaves on cyclamen are due to too much moisture, i.e. H. You have watered the plant too much or too vigorously. This occurs when the soil is constantly moist and/or excess water is not removed from the planter. If this is the case, with a bit of luck you can still save the cyclamen:
- Remove any curled or otherwise damaged leaves.
- Just rip it out with one tug.
- Pot out the cyclamen and remove any soil that adheres to it.
- Check the roots for rot.
- Remove rotten roots.
- Place the cyclamen in fresh, dry substrate.
- Avoid watering until the plant has recovered.
But be careful: Cyclamens only have a chance of being rescued from waterlogging if the roots are not yet affected or not too badly affected. However, if they are already badly rotten, the plant will die.
Which location is ideal for the cyclamen?
Room cyclamens are not frost hardy, but on the other hand they cannot tolerate long-term temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius - not even during the flowering period in winter! The optimal location is rather cool, for example in an unheated or barely heated room such as the bedroom or the stairwell. The plant is therefore completely wrong on a window sill above a warm radiator! In summer, a shady, cool place in the garden is ideal.
Which measures help against spider mites?
A cool location combined with high humidity helps against spider mite infestation. To do this, use a humidifier or set up a bowl of water. To combat the pests, you should repeatedly spray the plant with a mixture of water and rapeseed oil (250 milliliters of rapeseed oil per liter of well-stagnant water) and remove the affected leaves. However, do not cut them under any circumstances, but pull them out by twisting them.
Tip
Dried leaves and flowers in spring normal
Since the indoor cyclamen blooms in winter, it takes a break in the summer months. Therefore, it is completely normal for leaves and flowers to dry up in April or May - the plant is preparing for the rest period.
