Why Are My Croton Leaves Drooping? (Possible Causes+Fix)

People feel miserable to see their croton leaves drooping down and losing all their beauty. If crotons are not getting proper growing conditions, they can undergo unwanted problems. The leading cause of droopy leaves in crotons is dry conditions.

But what are the causes of drooping? Why are your croton leaves drooping? Let’s find out.

The primary cause of droopy leaves in croton is dehydration, and it can either be because of not enough watering or too much watering leading to root rot due to which plant cannot absorb enough nutrients and water. Other causes include low humidity, improper light, and temperature stress.

This article will get to know all the causes behind droopy leaves with the possible cure.

Why are my crotons drooping?

If you notice that your croton leaves are drooping, it indicates problems.

It happens mainly because of improper care and unfavorable conditions.

When you notice droopy leaves on croton, you should immediately identify the problem and fix it before getting out of control.

Let us understand all the possible problems leading to droopy leaves on your croton.

• Underwatering
• Overwatering
• Low humidity
• Low temperature
• Overfertilization
• Improper light
• Pests infestation
• Diseases
• Transplant shock
• Rootbound problem
• Acclimation

Underwatering

Crotons don’t like dry conditions and can face many problems due to that. 

The absence of water can make the leaves droop as the plant loses its turgidity, and due to this reason, croton can no longer stay stiff.

Croton thrives in the evenly moist soil, making it challenging for the plant to stay healthy if it doesn’t get water correctly.

If you touch the soil and feel that the surface is compact and dry, your croton is craving water.

However, you can solve the problem quickly if you take action on time.

To solve this, water your croton and don’t stop until the water drains out from the drainage holes.

Check your croton every week and water it every time you feel the top inches of the soil is dry to avoid underwatering in the coming future.

Also read: How Often To Water Croton Plant? (Watering Schedule+Watering Problems)

Overwatering

Overdoing anything can never yield any benefit for your croton.

Overwatering is the most common issue your plant can face.

If you water your croton blindly without checking the soil moisture, your plant will frequently experience overwatering.

Because of overwatering, root rot disease starts occurring inside the soil, affecting the entire health of croton and causing droopy leaves.

Since the roots fail to function due to overwatering and root rot, the plant becomes weak, and the leaves lose their forms and hence, droop.

If you don’t identify this problem on time, it becomes difficult to cure the croton.

• As soon as you notice that the croton is experiencing overwatering, stop watering the plant immediately.
• To improve the condition, you can add compost to the soil surface to absorb the extra water.
• But, if the situation is not in control, repot your croton in a new pot with fresh soil.
• Remove all the infected roots carefully and then repot the croton.
• Place your croton in bright indirect sunlight for a speedy recovery.
• Don’t water your croton frequently during the winter months to reduce the chances of overwatering.

Also read: How To Save Overwatered Croton Plant? (Signs, Problems & Solution)

Low humidity

Crotons are tropical plants, so they love to stay in high humidity conditions.

When this plant does not receive the proper humidity, it becomes difficult to sustain itself.

Crotons at least need humidity higher than 40%. Otherwise, the plant will have droopy leaves.

Plants mostly experience low humidity problems in the winter season.

So you should always maintain the ideal humidity levels if you don’t want your croton to develop problems.

Due to low humidity, the croton experiences dehydration that causes droopy leaves.

• To provide humidity, you can mist your crotons with a spray. This can increase the level to some extent.
• Other than that, you can also increase the humidity with a humidifier. This is the best option for your plant if you want them to thrive.
• If you don’t have this device, you can also keep your crotons with other plants.
• Lastly, you can also place some containers with water near your croton. Continuous evaporation can help in raising the humidity level around the plant.

Also read: Do Crotons Need Misting? (+Maintaining Ideal Humidity)

Low temperature

Crotons love to stay in warmer climates where the temperature is relatively high.

Low temperatures can create trouble for your croton as it can’t adjust itself in such circumstances.

Crotons experience this issue mainly during the winter months.

Whenever the temperature drops below the ideal range, you notice droopy leaves on the plant.

Even if it is difficult for you to maintain high temperatures, protecting the croton from low temperatures can help the plant.

To protect your croton, avoid keeping it near a window, as a frosty environment can cause internal injury to your plant.

You should place it in a location where the temperature is not that low. 

Try to give your crotons as much indirect sunlight. This can help your plant to stay warm. 

You can also use a thermostat device to maintain the temperature inside your house if possible. 

Also read: What Temperature Can Croton Tolerate? (+Ideal Temperature Range)

Overfertilization

Fertilizing your croton is good, but overdoing It can cause severe damage.

It can burn the roots if you fertilize your croton too often or provide stronger doses.

The chemicals present in the fertilizers also cause the leaves to droop.

Injured roots can not only cause droopy leaves but can also make them completely weak.

Such weakness can even kill the croton, so it is vital to cure the plant if you have overfertilized it.

The best way to fertilize your croton is with a liquid fertilizer.

You should take 2 spoons of liquid fertilizer, mix it with 1 gallon of water, and then feed the plant with it.

This will prevent overfertilization.

To recover the overfertilized croton:

• Keep watering your croton and wait until the excess water drains from the drainage holes. This method will wash out the excess fertilizer from the soil.
• If the roots are already burned and damaged, prune all the infected roots and repot the plant with fresh soil.
• Don’t fertilize your croton when it is recovering and during the winter months.

Also read: What Fertilizer Is Good For Croton? (Best Fertilizer For Croton Plant)

Improper light

Both low light and extreme light can cause droopy leaves.

Crotons need full sun or bright indirect sunlight to thrive.

But exposing it to intense light or not providing the suitable amount of light can trouble the croton.

In the case of low light, photosynthesis decreases. Without enough photosynthesis, the plant can’t produce as much energy as it requires.

Due to low energy, the leaves start to droop.

And in the case of intense light, the croton can get dehydrated as the rate of evaporation increases, due to which the leaves start drooping.

Croton needs 6-8 hours of full sunlight daily. Some species don’t require full sun but need bright indirect sunlight.

The location creates a significant impact on your crotons.

Keeping the plant near a west-facing window can provide the proper amount of sunlight.

If the croton is not receiving enough natural light, provide it with artificial light like lamps, LED, etc.

It becomes difficult for the croton to receive indirect sunlight inside the house during the winter months.

So you can keep the plant outside for a while. But make sure you provide shade to the plant.

You should keep rotating your croton, so it receives light in every part.

Also read: What Kind Of Light Does A Croton Need? (Croton Light Requirements )

Pest infestations

Pests cause severe damage to plants but keep a check on your croton to prevent pests.

Various sap-sucking pests like spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, and thrips absorb all the nutrients from the plants by sucking out the sap.

Due to nutrient deficiencies, the plant becomes weak, generating droopy leaves.

If you can’t remove the pests on time, they will spread rapidly to the entire plant and kill it.

Give a good shower to your croton so that the pests will get washed out. 

Some pests cannot be seen with bare eyes, so use cotton balls for removing them.

First, immerse the cotton balls in isopropyl alcohol and wipe the leaves and other infected parts of the croton.

Spraying your croton with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or non-detergent soap can help remove pests.

After removing all the pests, sanitize your crotons with pesticides so that the pests will not attack later.

Also read: How Do I Get Rid Of Bugs In My Croton Plant? (Common Bugs+Fix)

Diseases

If your croton is experiencing any fungal disease, you will notice droopy leaves.

Fungal diseases develop in the soil that is saturated with overwatering. 

The most common fungal diseases that can attack crotons are root rot, leaf spot, and anthracnose.

These diseases spread fast, cause various issues, and often kill the plant.

But if you don’t want your croton to meet fungal diseases, you should provide proper care without negligence.

To recover your croton from fungal diseases, you can repot your plant by eliminating all the infected roots and keeping only the healthy ones.

Use a fungicide and spray it on the affected parts to remove any remaining infection.

Make sure you use fresh soil mix and not the previous one.

Transplant shock

Sometimes, transplanting your croton too frequently can stress it, causing droopy leaves.

It is common to see your croton drooping if it was transplanted recently into a new pot.

First of all, crotons don’t enjoy being repotted too frequently.

After repotting, the croton will need some time to adjust to a new environment.

Until that happens, the leaves might droop to show signs of stress.

Providing your croton with all the basic requirements is enough to keep them healthy and stress-free.

While repotting, you should carefully remove any damaged roots without causing any damage to the healthy ones.

Don’t repot your crotons too frequently. 

It would be best to repot your croton every few years.

If your croton is already rootbound or infected by any disease, you can repot it. Otherwise, you don’t have to.

Causing unnecessary stress causes droopy leaves and can also cause various other health problems.

Also read: When Can You Repot Croton Plant? (+How To Repot)

Rootbound problem

Crotons can get rootbound if they grow in a limited space.

However, many people prefer to keep their plants in a rootbound condition to encourage growth.

But keeping the plant in such a condition for an extended period can be harmful.

When the croton stays root-bound for too long, its roots form clusters inside the pot.

Because of this reason, the plant starts to show signs like droopy leaves. 

To solve this problem, you should repot the croton and choose a pot that is 2 inches larger than the old one.

Also read: Does Croton Like To Be Root Bound? (+When To Repot)

Acclimation

If you have recently bought croton in your house, it is not unusual to find droopy leaves.

Suppose you have recently introduced the plant to a new environment.

In that case, it is natural to see them struggle before finally settling down.

Almost every plant needs a certain amount of time to adjust itself inside the house.

But you just have to look after your croton correctly so that they will get adjusted quickly.

Make sure not to change the place of the croton frequently as it can cause stress.

How do I prevent droopy leaves on croton?

After understanding all the possible reasons for droopy leaves, you need to understand how to prevent your croton from drooping.

Preventing your croton from getting droopy is not tricky.

You just have to make a proper care routine for them.

Let us now discuss all the care requirements for your croton.

Care tips mentioned below are enough to stop the droopy leaves in crotons.

• Give full or indirect sunlight depending on your croton species and keep it away from direct sunlight.
• Keep your croton evenly moist by watering it on time but avoid overwatering.
• Always check the top inches of the soil before watering.
• Don’t water your croton frequently during winter as it requires less water during that time.
• Always use liquid fertilizer by mixing it with water to avoid overfertilization and don’t fertilize during the winter months.
• Try to maintain a humidity level above 40%.
• Keep your croton away from extreme temperatures and try to protect the plant from hot and cold drafts. 
• Repot your croton after 3-4 years if not urgent. Frequent repotting can stress the plant.
• Keep pests away by spraying with a horticulture oil or insecticidal soap.
• Provide good aeration around your croton.
• Always clean the leaves of crotons by wiping them with a wet cloth.
• Prune the completely damaged leaves to encourage healthy growth.

Final words

The first mistake plant owners make is they fail to provide favorable conditions to their plants that lead to many issues, including droopy leaves.

Your croton can easily stay healthy if you provide them with the proper amount of water, light, and fertilizer. You just have to look after your plant every day without ignoring its basic needs.

For recovering your croton, identifying the exact problem is the main task. You can cure your plant quickly if you have identified the underlying issue behind the droopy leaves.

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Reference: Sciencedirect, Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Britannica, CABI, Academia, University of South Florida, The University of Georgia.