Chinese Evergreen or Aglaonema is an easy-to-grow and attractive houseplant.
It comes in many colors and is a lucky plant in many cultures. What’s more, it’s one of NASA’s top 12 air-purifying indoor plants!
Because of their benefits, Chinese Evergreens are popular among plant enthusiasts.
However, each variation can have different needs. If you don’t know the right growing conditions, you may end up with a droopy Chinese Evergreen.
Today, I’ll share the top reasons causing droopiness in these plants and discuss the solution for each problem. Let’s get to it!
Why Are My Chinese Evergreen Leaves Drooping?
Here are 11 reasons causing droopiness in Chinese Evergreens:
1 – Lack of Water
Chinese Evergreen are from tropical and subtropical regions in Asia. They require regular watering to survive.
If your Chinese Evergreen is limp or you observe crispness on the leaves, it’s a sign that it lacks water.
To confirm this, you have to check the soil moisture. Dry soil means it’s time to water your plant.
What You Should Do
Give your Chinese Evergreen a good soaking and maintain a proper watering schedule. You should water this plant every seven to ten days.
Don’t worry if the soil still feels wet. You must water Chinese Evergreens at 25 to 50% soil moisture.
Investing in a moisture meter is a great idea if you have this houseplant.
2 – Too Much Water
Chinese Evergreens love water, but it’s still possible to expose it to too much moisture.
Overwatering these plants can cause root rot, which leads to drooping, yellowing, and falling leaves.
If the base of the plant has browning and sliminess, it’s a sign that you’re overwatering your Chinese Evergreen!
What You Should Do
Slowly remove the plant from the pot and brush all the soil away from the roots. Next, identify the rotting portions and cut them off with garden shears.
After this, re-pot the plant with fresh soil and provide adequate drainage!
3 – Excessive Lighting
Chinese Evergreens have different lighting requirements depending on their type.
Those with dark green leaves, like the Maria variation, can tolerate plenty of shade. On the flip side, those with lighter leaves need more sunlight.
A drooping Chinese Evergreen, accompanied by leaf discoloration, is a sign your plant is getting too much sunlight.
What You Should Do
If you suspect your plant gets too much sunlight, you should immediately move it to an area with indirect light.
At most, Chinese Evergreens should only get two to six hours of direct sunlight each day.
4 – Wrong Soil
Chinese Evergreens can grow in a variety of soil, as long as there’s proper drainage. Watch out for too much moisture retention since this can lead to root rot.
Peat-based potting soil combined with sand or perlite is a good mix for these plants.
What You Should Do
In case the soil isn’t draining, you should mix some perlite or sand into it.
To add to this, you should check the bottom of the pot for adequate holes. If there’s a blockage, you should remove it immediately.
5 – Lack of Humidity
Dry air can cause drooping and browning leaves in Chinese Evergreens. This is because as tropical plants, they need a humidity of 60 to 70%!
Most houses have a relative humidity of 30 to 50%. Moreover, the situation could get worse during winter.
Basically, you have to make adjustments to your house’s humidity if you own Chinese Evergreens.
What You Should Do
You can protect your plant from dry drafts with a barrier or change its location to a more humid place. Use humidifiers, misters, or wet pebble trays to increase humidity.
Investing in a hygrometer is worth it too, so you can monitor the room humidity and adjust the conditions if necessary.
6 – Low Temperature
Chinese Evergreens love warm temperatures. Exposure to an environment of 60ºF and below can cause stress, drooping, and even cold injuries.
You can tell if your Chinese Evergreen isn’t doing too well in a cold area if there are dark and greasy patches on the leaves as well.
Some Chinese Evergreen variations, like the Silver Queen, do poorly in low temperatures too. Others, like the Emerald Star and Jewel of India, however, are more resistant.
What You Should Do
You may want to move your Chinese Evergreen away from cold windows during the winter. Before you buy one, you should also pick a cultivar that does better in chilly conditions.
7 – Transplant Shock
Transplant shock happens when your Chinese Evergreen fails to root after you change its pot. Some effects of this are a higher risk of disease and drooping when there’s not enough water.
You can tell your plant is experiencing transplant shock if it has leaf scorch, wilting leaves, and curling.
What You Should Do
To avoid transplant shock, you should only re-pot healthy plants. Use the right potting material and pay attention to the watering schedule.
8 – Poor Acclimation
Acclimation is a plant’s ability to adapt to a new environment after you change its location.
For instance, conditions at the garden center are different from your home environment. Due to the sudden location change, your Chinese Evergreen may find it hard to adapt.
As a result, it may droop as it adjusts.
What You Should Do
Research the ideal growing conditions for Chinese Evergreens and place your plant at an ideal spot.
Avoid moving it around as this may cause more stress. It’s best to stick to one location and wait for your plant to get used to its new home.
9 – Pests
Pests can stress your plant out and cause drooping leaves, but how can you tell if you have an infected Chinese Evergreen?
First, check it for curling or yellowing leaves. Look out for fluffy white substances between the plant crevices, as these could be spider mites.
Magnifying glasses can help you see tiny insects on the plant too.
What You Should Do
When your Chinese Evergreen has pests, isolate it from your other plants!
You should remove the infected parts and use a pesticide to treat the leaves. Homemade formulas work as well.
10 – Legginess
Chinese Evergreens tend to become leggy with age.
This means its stems grow extremely long, and it becomes unable to support the weight of the leaves.
What You Should Do
To fix legginess, trim or prune the longest stems back. It’s best to cut the main stem near the base and clip 15 to 25% of the leaves. Doing this will encourage a more compact and healthy leaf growth!
11 – Root Meshes and Small Pot Sizes
If you recently purchased your Chinese Evergreen, remember to check it for a root mesh.
Plant growers use root meshes to regulate soil moisture in young Evergreens. However, if you don’t remove it as it grows, it could restrict root growth and cause your plant to droop.
In the worst cases, root meshes can kill your plant.
What You Should Do
You should re-pot your Chinese Evergreen and remove the root mesh as soon as you bring it home.
Always be gentle with the roots to avoid any damage. You may carefully cut the mesh out with garden shears.
Final Thoughts
Droopiness in Chinese Evergreens can be a result of many factors. Lack of water is the number one culprit, but lighting, temperature, soil, and pests can also cause it.
Moreover, legginess, transplant shock, and poor acclimation may lead to droopiness as well. To address these issues, research the right growing conditions and follow water schedules.
If you care for your Chinese Evergreen properly, you can enjoy its growth for years to come!
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.