Plumeria is one of the best growing beautiful plants. These plants are known for the beauty of their foliage. Moreover, these flowering plants also produce flowers like Frangipani. Plumeria leaves are used to make flower gifts and bouquets. They add to the charm and beauty of your home and offices. But their curling leaves damage their beauty and it’s a point to take action about it.
Plumeria leaves curl or plumeria leaf stress can be due to overwatering/ underwatering. Temperature stress and loss of humidity is the main cause of plumeria leaving curling. Direct exposure to sunlight Insects infestation and fungal diseases such as root rot is also a factor in causing leaves to curl.
If you have plumeria plants in your home and they are all of sudden going to start curling. It is the thing to be concerned about.
In this article, we will provide you with the solution to this problem.
Causes of plumeria leave curling
Leaf curling is a serious problem in plants. This problem in plumeria plants becomes more prominent due to damage to the beauty of plants’ foliage. To determine the exact cause, you have to closely observe the plant’s surroundings and treat it according to them.
Underwatered Plumeria leaves
Plumeria leaves start to curl and wrinkle when there is an inadequate supply of water. Wilting is the first sing of underwater plants. Moreover, you will also notice that your plant is droopy at that time.
Leaves become wilted and their edges also become brown at the tips.
Always water your plumeria thoroughly. Check the soil before watering. Make sure that the soil is completely dry before watering.
Check the soil by dipping the bare finger deep down to note the dampness level.
Water your plant when its upper one-inch soil is dry. Never allow water to stand in plants as it can cause infection in them.
Excessive fertilization
Indeed fertilization is necessary to boost the plant’s growth. It also increases the plant’s immunity. But excess of everything is not good at all.
Excessive fertilization can cause the salinity of the soil. You will begin to receive the signs and symptoms of it very soon after excessive fertilization.
The salinity of soil can affect the growth of plants. It inhibits the roots and stems from the uptake of nutrients from the soil and stops the nutrient supply also.
You will also notice that some types of crust also begin to form on the upper surface of the soil.
Moreover, excessive fertilization can also cause the discoloration of leaves.
Direct sunlight
Excessive exposure to light t and temperature can easily damage the plant’s leaves and cause them to curl.
Indirect sunlight, plant leaves usually curl to save their water content. Therefore long-time exposure to sunlight can easily make them permanently wilt and curly.
Try to avoid long-time exposure to sunlight. Keep your plants indoors daytime. Move outdoor at night or evening time to maintain humidity level.
Keep your plants near a window where they receive filtered light so that they are safe from overheating.
You can also read the effect of sunlight on other indoor plants like pothos and aglaonema
Humidity and temperature
At high temperatures, plants usually curl their leaves to save the water content. You should check the surrounding temperature to save your plant’s leaves from curling.
Plants’ roots and stems usually pump water back causing the leaves to curl.
Plants require a good amount of humidity for their good health. At low humidity, plants tend to cool their roots and stems by curling their leaves. Try to maintain the humidity level at your home to avoid leaves curling.
Lack of nutrients
Nutrients are necessary for the growth of plants. Any insufficient nutrients can stunt the growth of your plants. These nutrients also provide immunity to your plants to defend against any disease or insects attack.
Nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and copper are required by plants for their healthy growth. Lack of any nutrients can cause the leaves to curl, wilting, and discoloration of foliages.
Insects infestation
This is one of the most important causes of plumeria leaves curling. As the plumeria is a flowering plant so it is mostly attacked by insects and pests. These sap-sucking pests can cause the leaves to curl.
you will notice plumeria leaves puckering when there is an insects infestation. These are aphids, spiders, mealybugs, and thrips which are common for causing plumeria leaves to pucker.
Aphids attack
Aphids are tiny insects that seriously affect the leaves. They cause the distorting of healthy foliage and eat them away. These insects come in many colors.
Aphids produce Honeydew that attracts the ants. These insects are carried to host plants by ants that receive honeydew as a reward.
Aphids germinate very fast in a greater amount so whenever detected you will see a large amount of these insects in affected leaves.
Whenever you see a single aphid around your leaves you must take it seriously and treat it right now as they germinate very fast.
Mealybugs attack
Mealybugs are sap-sucking insects. They affect the plumeria plants seriously and cause them to wilt and curl. These insects germinate very quickly.
Mealybugs are white-colored insects that are called scale-less shields. They appear as a white cottony mass on the leaves and stems of plants.
They affect the shoots and leaves of plants and cause yellow spots on the leaves.
Mealybugs also produce honeydew that’s why a number of ants are seen around mealybugs when there is an infestation.
Spider mites attack
Spider mites are one of the most common insect pests that are seen around your pants. These spider mites are seen near the stems and on the lower sides of plants.
Spiders are so small that cannot be seen with the naked eye. So whenever spiders attack any plant they produce webcasts. If you notice any webcasts near the leaves’ roots and stem of your plants, it indicates the spiders’ attack.
There are some types of spiders that usually cause no damage to plants however there are some spiders species that not only cause damage but can even kill your plants.
How do keep away these insects from plumeria?
Insects infestation is a serious condition in plants. Some types of insects are dangerous that can even kill the whole plant. Here are some tips to keep these sap-sucking insects away from your plants.
- Spray your plants with a garden hose to keep the insects away from plants. Water those branches that are affected by aphids, mealybugs, or spider attacks.
- Always use some sticky notes on your plants to detect the presence of these color-less insects on plants.
- Whenever you see any insects near the plant, wipe them off by using a cotton ball that is dipped in alcohol.
- Always trim off the branches or leaves that are affected by insects attack.
- Use neem oil on affected plants. It will keep safe your plants naturally.
- You can spray your plants with neem oil for the effective removal of these insects.
- In case of severe infestation, spray your plants with an insecticide.
How to treat underwater plumeria?
- Make a schedule to water your plants.
- Before watering check the soil is completely dry.
- You can check the soil’s dampness by dipping the bare finger deep down.
- Water your plumeria plants once every week.
- In the winter season, you can water them after every two to three weeks later.
Overwatered plumeria
Excessive watering can also be damaging to your plants. Overwatering can cause the leave to turn yellow. The leaves become droopy and wilt. Root rot is a common cause of overwatering.
Overwatered pants usually lose their strength and that’s why the leaves become droopy and wilt.
How to treat overwatered plumeria?
After receiving the signs and symptoms of an overwatered plumeria, treat it immediately as it can a=cause root rot and eventually kill your whole plant.
- In an overwatered plant, immediately stop watering.
- Before watering always check the dampness of the soil by dipping the bare finger inside the soil. If it is dry then water it.
- If you are growing your plumeria in any ground then remove any mulch around it.
- Plumeria growing in a pot, then make sure that pot has a drainage hole or not.
- If there are no drainage holes then must choose the soil that has effective rehydration quality.
- Use perlite in your potting mix if it does not absorb water quickly.
- Minimize watering your plants in winter.
- Use a fungicidal spray for your plants to prevent any fungal infection.
Rust disease in plumeria
Plumeria rust is a fungal disease that is caused by a pathogenic fungus. These fungi attacked the foliages of plumeria plants.
Fungus germinates in the form of spores. These spores are airborne. They spread so fastly and destroy the whole plant.
In early cases, the spores are detected as orange and yellow speaks on the foliage. Powdery orange-colored lesions are also seen on the underside of the leaves.
These specks on the leaves are the pustules of fungus. When these pustules rupture, they turn into spores, and these spores spread quickly.
Fungal infection can cause the leaves to curl, damaged, distorted, and yellow-brown spots on the plants and eventually fall off the whole plant.
How to treat rust plumeria?
Once your plumeria has rusted then you can treat it early to prevent further loss. Follow these steps to prevent and control plumeria rust.
- Trim off the rusted leaves by using a sterilized scissor. Disinfect the tools after using them for an infected leaf.
- Collect any affected leaves and dispose of them. This can prevent the spread of disease.
- Maintain the humidity of plants and make sure that air is circulating around your plants. Good humidity can prevent infection.
- Keep your plants always at a distance of 6 inches away from one another
- You can use neem oil/ fungicides/ or insecticides to prevent any fungus or bacteria to attack.
- You can apply neem oi;l to affected leaves as well.
- In case of mild infection, you can spray Greenlight “Fung away” to prevent the fungus attack.
- In severe cases, you can apply fungicides (check price on Amazon)to whole plants.