Monstera Leaves Drooping Causes, Signs, and Fixes

Underwatering is the most common reason for Monstera leaves drooping. But it can be low humidity, cold drafts, overwatering, too much light, or heat. Also, pests, disease, overfeeding, being rootbound, or dusty leaves are possible causes.

How does each of these factors result in Monstera plant leaves drooping or wilting? What can you do to stop it from happening? We have explanations, other signs of each causative, and fixes.

About Monsteras

If you don’t own one, you are missing out on these charming plants in the arum family, Araceae. Plants in this family are known as aroids. And popular ones beside Monsteras are Philodendron, alocasia, caladiums, peace and canna lilies, dieffenbachia, anthurium, aglaonema and pothos.

Monsteras are climbing hemiepiphytes native to Central and tropical South America and the surrounding islands. What distinguishes them most is the smaller, mainly entire juvenile leaves and huge and fenestrated (holes) mature leaves that may be split.

Monstera deliciosa is the most popular plant species, followed by Monstera Adansonii. These two together with Monstera obliqua are known as Swiss cheese plants or vines. But you will find other very charming plants such as Monstera siltepecana, Monstera Peru, or the shingling Monstera dubia. Also, there are even rare variegated Monsteras that will take your breath away.

Monstera care and growth requirements

Before we look at why your monstera leaves are drooping, let us look at the care and growing needs. Some of these care needs have something to do with drooping and wilting. Also, they act as the center of reference to help you see where you may be going wrong.

Here are the primary monstera care and growth requirements:

Care level	Easy or low maintenance. However, Monstera obliqua care level is intermediate.
USDA hardiness zone	10b to 12. Freezing temperatures will damage your Monstera plant, and they cannot withstand frost.
Temperature	60-80°F (about 15 to 27 °C)
Humidity	Above average, 60% or more. But they can grow under lower humidity, 40% or above, except Monstera obliqua that needs 80% or more.
Light	Bright, indirect light, including grow lights. Avoid low lights or direct sunlight.
Best soil	Use a well-drained, organic-rich soil or potting mix. These mixes should be chunky, slightly acidic, and well aerated. Avoid poorly drained, heavy, or compacted soils.
Water	Medium. Wait until the top 2-3 inches of your soil
Fertilizer	Medium feeding. Use a high-quality, balanced, all-purpose, liquid indoor plant food and feed your plants once a month when growing. Slow-release fertilizers for indoor potted plants are also ok.
Pruning and grooming	Cut off any damaged, dried, or diseased leaves with sterilized pruning scissors and wipe dusty leaves. In spring and summer, you can cut a few stems to control growth and maintain shape.
Potting and repotting	Repot after 2 to 3 years or if root-bound). Go for a pot with a diameter that is 2-3 inches wider than the current pot.
Toxicity	Toxic, poisonous, or harmful to humans, cats, dogs, and other pets

Why do plants droop leaves?

Plants droop leaves when they don’t have enough water in their cells to build the turgor pressure, which makes them rigid. Besides cell turgidity, water helps in the following ways:

• Transporting organic compounds and nutrients
• Comprise part of the living plant cells
• Works as a raw material for the various physiological process, including photosynthesis
• Cooling the plant via transpiration

The other reason for drooping is to help reduce the surface area of the leaf. This helps reduce the rate of transpiration, which means more water is lost. Some plants like angel trumpets and hydrangeas droop leaves during a hot afternoon. It doesn’t mean they need more water. It is just an adaptation.

Last but not least, drooping may be a sign of injury. If the stems, especially of herbaceous plants or plant leaves, get injured, they will droop. Why? Because they can no longer give the necessary support.

Monstera leaves drooping causes and fixes  

It is time to look at the reasons why your monstera leaves are drooping. We will tell you why it occurs, signs to expect, and how to fix the issue.

1. Underwatering and Monstera leaves drooping

When thirsty, Monsteras leaves will droop or wilt. It means they don’t have enough water to retain cell turgidity. This is the most common cause of drooping and wilting.

Signs

Besides drooping leaves, underwatered Monstera leaves will curl inward or up and have dry and crispy tips and edges. The other signs are yellowing of leaves and slow or stunted growth. Also, the leaves will feel dry and papery thin. If you do nothing, your plant will lose leaves, wither and die.

Fixes

The surest way to confirm that your Monstera is thirsty is by feeling the soil with your finger. If it is dry up to your first knuckle or about 2-3 inches, you need to water your plant immediately.

A better way is using a soil moisture meter. XLUX Soil Moisture Meter is, without a doubt, the best. Why? Because it is accurate and responds fast. Also, it is affordable. 

To do so, slowly saturate the soil with water until excess flows from drainage holes. You can also use the bottom-up watering method.

Afterward, switch from routine watering after some days to watering when the top 2 or 3 inches of the soil feels dry. Things like humidity, temperature, light, season and pot size affect how often you water this plant.

That is not all. Monitor how often your soil dries and set a reminder if you forget to water your plant. A reminder will ensure you don’t forget or neglect your plant again.

Last but not least, we are glad to assure you that your plant will recover, and curled leaves will unfurl again. But any yellow, brown, or dried parts will not recover.

2. Low humidity

The second reason for Monstera leaves drooping is low humidity. These are tropical rainforests plants that grow in a warm and humid areas.

Why do they wilt? Because when humidity is low, your plants will lose more water via transpiration than their roots can absorb. Also, the potting mix will dry fast. These two will make them lack water and droop leaves.

Signs

Leaves will curl upwards, droop, feel dry and have brown tips and edges. Also, they will turn yellow, and your Monstera plant will grow slowly and look very dull.  Also, you expect premature defoliation, among other signs.

Fix

Begin by getting an accurate hygrometer. Some brands like Govee Temperature Humidity Monitor as it has an app to help you monitor humidity even when you are away. Also, it measures temperature too.

If humidity is low, mist your plant a few days a week or buy a humidifier (best way). LEVOIT Humidifiers Top Fill, 6 Liter, Cool Mist is one of the top brands. It will run for up to 60 hours without refill, covers a large area, is affordable and comes with a Vesync App. It even has an essential oil tray. 

Other methods are having a pebbe tray, grouping your plants (which helps create a microclimate) and moving your plants to rooms with high humidity like bathrooms or kitchens.

These are not the only ways; you can also go for a vivarium or greenhouse cabinet. Also, move plants away from draft areas, etc.

3. Is it heat stress making Monstera leaves droop?

Normal plant functions will decline, like water absorption and photosynthesis, if temperatures go very high. Also, the plant will lose a lot of water through transpiration than what roots can absorb, and the soil will dry fast. These actions will make leaves dehydrated and start wilting.

Signs

Signs of heat stress include leaf burn (tips or margins will darken or turn brown), and leaves will curl (roll or cup) or droop. Also, they may turn yellow, fall (which helps conserve water). And your plant will grow slowly.

Fix

Take your plants to cooler places in case of a heatwave or during hot summer days. Also, away from radiators, fireplaces, furnaces, heat vents, or other appliances emit heat.

That is not all. During this time, don’t transplant, prune or fertilize your plant at this time. The other thing is ensuring you water them well. It may help minimize the Damage that heat will cause.  

4. Does overwatering make Monstera leaves droop?

Believe it or not, overwatering may be the reason why your plant’s leaves droop or wilt. When you overwater your Monstera, the waterlogged soil will prevent the roots from absorbing oxygen. Remember, they need oxygen to work well, including absorbing water or nutrients. Why? They become less permeable.

If you don’t correct the issue, the roots will weaken, and soil fungus and bacteria will attack them, causing root rot. Root rot will further reduce their ability to absorb water and nutrients further.

Signs

The most common sign of overwatered Monstera is the yellowing of leaves. Also, the leaves may droop but will not have crisp edges or tips, like when thirsty. Other signs are brown splotches, leaves falling, mushy stem base, molded potting mix, and leaf edema.

Fix

If the soil feels soggy, hold the watering and water only when the top 2 or 3 inches of the potting mix is dry. Next, slide the plant out to see if there is root rot. i.e., brown or black roots that may have a foul smell. If present, repot your plants, cutting off the rotten bits with a sterilized scissor.

The other things to do are raise air circulation (which helps make the dry soil fast) and use a toothpick to make holes in the potting mix (helps improve aeration). Also, you can repot it if your potting mix doesn’t drain well.

Lastly, make sure your soil drains well and go for a terracotta pot (which helps drain water better). But ensure it has drainage holes.

5. Too much light

Too much sunlight causes more water loss through transpiration as the plant tries to cool. We hope you know that plants convert excess light to heat. Also, the soil will dry faster. If the loss exceeds the absorption rate, expect your plant to wilt.

Signs

Leaves will have a burnt look – crispy brown edges or tips and dry, discolored patches. Also, they will look washed out or bleached (paler or yellowish except on veins). More signs are leaves curling or their edge turning up. Furthermore, if this goes on for long, leaves will start falling off prematurely.  

Fix

If you see the above signs on leaves closer to the source of light or receiving direct sunlight, move the plant to a shade. Also, you can use a shade cloth and put your plants at a safe distance if you are using a grow light.

If they are next to a south-facing window, move them to where direct light can’t reach. Also, to help deal with too much light, raise humidity and increase watering frequency. But don’t overdo the watering as it will cause other issues.

6. Draft areas, including cold drafts

Places with dry drafts will strip off moisture from leaves. If roots can replace the lost water, expect wilting and signs similar to those of low humidity we have seen above.

On the other hand, cold drafts will slow normal plant functioning (leaves and roots) or even Damage. This will limit water absorption and movement. Also, if the sap freezes, it will dehydrate cells, making them lose rigidity.

Signs

Some of the signs of cold drafts include Monstera leaves drooping or wilting and discoloration, i.e., the leaves may turn yellow, brown, dark, or look whitish and faded. The discoloration may also include pale brown patches in-between veins or red/white marks along the veins.

More signs are leaves turn brown overnight or have burnt-like symptoms. If ignored, your plant will start losing leaves and even die.

Fix

Move your plant from draft areas. Such places are near open windows, porch or patio doors, air conditioning vents to warmer and less drafty places. Also protect them with cold frames, curtains, blinds and so on.

7. Too much fertilizer

Monsteras require medium feeding, and you must use a quality brand. Poor quality fertilizers or too much may cause salt deposits and burn roots. Also, the fertilizers may affect microbial balance and alter normal soil pH.

All these factors will affect the normal absorption of nutrients and water. This will make plants droop leaves. For instance, pH will affect the availability of some nutrients will salt deposits will make it hard for roots to absorb water.

Signs

Besides Monstera leaves drooping, the leaves may also turn yellow, starting with lower ones or even drop. Other signs include brown leaf margins and tips, slow growth, a crust of fertilizer on soil, etc.

Fix

If you see whitish fertilizer deposits on the soil, you need to remove the top ¼ an inch of the potting mix. Then adjust your fertilizing schedule to only once a summer and spring (growing season).

Next, flush or leach the soil using water at room temperature. Do this after every 4 to 6 months,

Last but not least, only fertilize your plants once a month in summer and spring (growing season). Also, use quality brands for indoor houseplants, especially liquid ones. Don’t forget to follow the information provided and ensure your potting mix is well-draining.

8. Rootbound

When rootbound, the plant will outgrow or chock the pot, i.e., they don’t have soil to grow into and may get compacted. Thus, when pot bound, Monsteras can’t absorb water or nutrients well and will have

Signs

The first sign will be roots growing from drainage holes. Also, you will see signs often resemble those of malnourished plants. They include yellow leaves starting with those near the base and leggy plants. That is not all. These plants may be droopy or wilt and will grow slowly.

Fixes

Slowly try to pull the plant from its pot to see if roots are spiraling. If that is the case, you need to repot your Monstera. However, do that if it is during the growing season.

Last but not least, as you repot, loosen the root ball, divide the plant or prune some roots if they are too big.

9. Pests

Juice-sucking pests like spider mites, thrips, aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, and whiteflies may make your Monstera leaves droop. Why? Because they will take all the sap which has food and water. This will dry leaves, and the cells lose rigidity. This will make them droop.

Signs and fixes

There are numerous signs which will depend on the exact bug your plants have. Here are the most apparent ones and fixes

• Spider mites: You will see tiny reddish-brown or pale moving dots, light or white stippling and webbing on leaves. Use insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils, or miticides (designed to kill these mites)
• Aphids: Aphids appear as tiny, green, red, black, brown, yellow, or gray soft-bodied insects. Infestations signs are yellow leaves, honeydew, sooty mold, deformation, and wilting of young shoots and leaves. Use insecticidal soaps, pyrethrins, neem oil, horticultural oils and hose them off the leaves.
• Mealybugs: Their soft bodies have cottony or powdery white or gray wax. Signs to expect include honeydew, sooty mold, stunted growth, leaves curling, defoliation, and so on. You can manage them with insecticidal soap, horticultural oils, or need oil. Also, wipe them off with rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball.
• Thrips: Thrips are tiny insects with yellow, brown, or black slender bodies. They will cause silvery speckling or small white patches. Also, you will see varnish-like black feces on leaves. Control them with insecticidal soaps, hose leaves, use neem oil, horticultural oil, etc.
• Scale insects: Monsteras mainly have a soft scale (not armored), which appears as small raised bumps on hidden leaves, stems, or joints. Signs include honeydew, sooty molds, and leaves yellowing or falling.
• Whiteflies – These small, soft-bodied, and winged insects will cause wilting to your plants. Signs include honeydew, sooty mold, pale or yellow leaves, and leaves may dry up or drop. Use dish-soap solution, hose the off leaves, use insecticidal sprays or neem oil.

For insecticidal soaps, buy Garden Safe Brand Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer, horticultural oil spray Bonide and neem oil Bonide Ready to Use Neem Oil. These are the top and effective brands.

10. Plant shock

Transplanting, relocation, repotting, and a change of the growing conditions may cause plant shock. The plant needs time to reestablish and acclimatize. During this time, your Monstera may droop leaves.

Signs

Common signs include leaves wilting, curling, and discoloration (browning or yellowing). Also, the plant may drop leaves or even die.

Fixes

When transplanting, reduce root damage (bring as many roots as possible) and water the plant afterward. Also, don’t prune it try to set ideal growing conditions and try using Hormex Vitamin B1 Rooting Hormone Concentrate or any other product that helps prevent shock.

Other less common Monstera leaves drooping causes

Besides the above reasons why Monstera leaves droop, here are others that are less common:  

1.  Too little light

It will cause yellow leaves, slow-growing, and leggy plants. However, the leaves can droop or wilt because these plants don’t get enough light to make food or photosynthesis. To fix the issue, place your Monstera in indirect, bright light or buy grow lights.

2. Damage

Stem, root, or petiole damage may cause drooping leaves. It occurs because water and nutrients cannot flow as usual. This damage will, in turn, make its leaves to lack moisture and droop. Other signs to expect are similar to those of a thirsty Monstera.

3. Dusty leaves

If you don’t wipe your Monstera leaves when they are dusty, it can be a reason for their drooping. Too much dust will affect usual transpiration regulation (increase or decrease), and your plant cannot make food well.  

For instance, if it causes more transpiration, meaning plants will lose more water. If they can absorb as much, leaves will droop, and they will have signs as those of underwatered plants.

On the other hand, plants won’t draw water from roots if it slows or stops transpiration. Why? Because as transpiration occurs, the cells that lose water will pull from their neighboring cells, which will happen down to the roots. This is how water transport occurs via the xylem.

4. Diseases

Most of the Monstera diseases are unlikely to cause drooping leaves. However, some like stem and root rot will disrupt the normal flow of water and nutrients from the soil. This disruption may cause drooping leaves or wilt. We already looked at root rot while talking about overwatering