Plant care guide
Spider Plant Leaves Curling: Thirst, Rot, Heat, Sun or Aphids?
Updated
Why are my Spider plant leaves curling?
Spider plant leaves that curl usually mean the root ball has dried out, or that wet, rotting roots can no longer supply water. Hot, dry air and salt build-up, too much direct sun, and aphids on soft new growth are the other causes. Some cultivars, such as 'Bonnie', have curly leaves by nature.
What to do first
Check the mix deep in the pot. Water a dry plant thoroughly; stop watering a wet one and check the roots. Then move it out of direct sun and away from heaters, flush salts if you see white crust, and look at new growth for aphids.
Spider plant leaves are normally arching and only lightly folded. NC State Extension’s spider plant profile describes them as linear with a deep groove in the middle. A leaf that curls tightly, rolls or twists more than its neighbours is telling you something.
Most of the time it is water. The question is whether the mix is too dry or the roots too damaged to use it.
Is it the cultivar?
Rule this out first. NC State lists ‘Bonnie’ with green leaves that curl and twist, and ‘Bonnie Variegated’ with curled, striped leaves. The RHS spider plant guide describes ‘Bonnie’ as compact, with curled, distorted leaves.
A curly cultivar curls from the moment each leaf appears, and the leaves feel firm. Stress curling shows up on leaves that used to be flatter, often with limpness or browning.
Sort the cause
| What you find | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Mix dry deep in the pot, pot light, leaves limp and curling, tips browning | Underwatering |
| Mix wet, leaves limp or yellow, roots soft and brown, sour smell | Root rot |
| Curling with brown tips, plant near a heater or in hot, dry air | Dry air, often with salts |
| White crust on the mix or pot rim, brown tips | Salt build-up |
| Bleached, yellow or brown patches on the sunny side | Too much direct sun |
| Small soft insects on new growth, sticky leaves, distorted young leaves | Aphids |
Underwatering. Virginia Cooperative Extension’s watering guide lists leaves that curl upward or downward among underwatering symptoms. Clemson Extension’s disorders factsheet says chronic underwatering leads to wilting and leaf curling. UW–Madison Extension’s spider plant article notes that its thick, fleshy roots store water and let it tolerate inconsistent watering. Curling from thirst usually means the whole root ball has dried.
Root rot. UW–Madison and Clemson’s spider plant factsheet both link root rot to overwatering or a mix that drains slowly. Virginia Cooperative Extension warns that underwatered and overwatered plants can look alike.
Hot, dry air and salts. Clemson lists hot, dry air, improper watering and salt build-up as causes of leaf curling and brown tips. The RHS says very dry air can brown spider plant tips and advises keeping it away from heat sources. University of Maryland Extension’s watering page describes white, crusty deposits around the pot rim as a sign of salts.
Sun. NC State says spider plant is intolerant of direct sunlight. The RHS says too much strong sun can turn the leaves yellow or brown.
Aphids. The RHS names aphids feeding on soft new growth. UC IPM’s aphid pest note says some species cause leaf curling and distortion, along with sticky honeydew. Clemson also lists whiteflies, spider mites and scales on spider plant.
What to do
- Push a finger into the mix. Maryland suggests checking about 5 cm (2 in) down, and lifting the pot to feel its weight.
- If it is dry, water slowly until water drains from the bottom. Virginia Cooperative Extension suggests bottom watering for 15–30 minutes to rewet very dry mix, but never leaving a pot standing in water for more than 60 minutes.
- If it is wet, stop watering and slide the plant out. Soft, brown roots mean rot: follow our spider plant root rot guide.
- If you see white crust, flush the pot. Maryland suggests pouring at least twice the pot’s volume of water through and letting it drain fully.
- Move it into bright, indirect light, away from heaters and midday sun. Clemson gives 18–24 °C (65–75 °F) by day as ideal.
- If you find aphids, rinse them off with a water spray, then use insecticidal soap if they return, as UC IPM suggests.
A curled leaf may not straighten again. Judge the fix by how the next leaves grow.
Keep it from coming back
Water when the surface has dried slightly, as Clemson advises, rather than to a schedule. The RHS suggests watering slightly less often in colder months and never leaving the plant in standing water. Repot every year or two; the RHS notes growth slows once a spider plant is pot-bound.
Brown tips without curling have their own checks in our spider plant brown tips guide. Scorch from a sunny window is covered in our spider plant sunburn guide. For other leaf shapes and textures, see why houseplant leaves curl, crisp or wrinkle.
References
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Chlorophytum comosum
- RHS: How to grow spider plants
- Clemson Cooperative Extension, HGIC 1513: Spider Plant
- Clemson Cooperative Extension, HGIC 2251: Houseplant Diseases & Disorders
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: Properly Watering Container Houseplants (SPES-804)
- UW–Madison Extension: Spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum
- UC IPM: Pest Notes: Aphids (Publication 7404)
- University of Maryland Extension: Watering Indoor Plants
How this guide was put together: NC State Extension, RHS, Clemson Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension, UW–Madison Extension, UC IPM and University of Maryland Extension guidance.