what causes wrinkled snake plant leaves? Yellow and wrinkled snake plant leaves is one of the problems that many keepers of this plant face. First, I must say that this problem is not very serious, and if the leaves of your snake plant turn yellow, don’t worry. If the number of yellow leaves in your snake plant is low, this yellowing is a natural thing; as the age of the plant increases, its leaves turn yellow die, and new leaves replace them.
But if the number of yellow leaves is high, improper plant maintenance conditions such as direct light hitting the plant, overwatering or underwatering, high temperature, improper pot size, low humidity, and improper fertilizing have caused this. If you adjust any of the mentioned items according to the required conditions of the snake plant, you can prevent snake plant wrinkling. Stay with us to give you enough information about this problem and how to fix it. Be sure to read the snake plant care article
why is my snake plant wrinkly?
The most common causes of snake plant shriveling are direct light, underwatering or overwatering, high temperature, improper pot size, low humidity and improper fertilizing. In the following, we will talk about each mentioned cases.
Direct light
It has always been said that it is better to place houseplants in a place with filtered or indirect light, intense and excessive light causes the loss of interstitial water, and the leaves gradually wrinkle. Of course, placing this plant in front of direct light is possible. In this way, in the seasons when the intensity of light is low (depending on the area where you live), place the plant in front of direct light, and over time, with the change of season and the increase of light intensity, the plant gradually gets used to high-intensity light. Of course, the amount of irrigation should be increased compared to normal.
How to fix this problem?
First of all, the amount of Irrigation should be high in this situation. With increasing light and temperature, soil water evaporates faster, and the plant needs Irrigation in short intervals. Secondly, be sure to place the plant in a shady place (at least at noon) and if it is next to the window, keep it about 1 to 2 meters away from the window or place it behind the curtain. By doing this, you are trying to provide filtered light for your plant.
Overwatering or underwatering
One of the main reasons for the wrinkling of Snake plants leaves is inappropriate Irrigation and mostly excessive watering. We said above that if the temperature is high, do more watering, but always check the soil. Water the plant whenever it dries to a depth of 3 to 4 cm (depending on the size of the pot). On the other hand, underwatering causes the leaves of the snake plant not to receive the required water, which also causes sansevieria wrinkled leaves.
Why do overwatering cause snake plant leaves soft and wrinkled?
Too much watering causes the plant’s roots to rot, and when the plant does not have roots, it cannot provide the materials and water needed for the plant, so the leaves wrinkle. Also, if your water correctly but the pot does not drain well, water will remain at the bottom of the pot and eventually cause root rot. In addition, if you overwater your plant, it will become waterlogged, and it will be difficult for it to receive enough oxygen and nutrients. Too much watering of the snake plant makes it prone to Edema. In this condition, the leaf cells become saturated with water, and causes the leaf to rupture.
How to solve this problem?
To solve the problem:
- Do not water the plant for a while.
- Let the soil of the pot dry to a depth of 3 to 4 cm between two irrigations, and use a light soil with high drainage (we have an article about suitable soil for snake plants, be sure to read it).
- After watering, make sure that excess water comes out from under the pot; it shows that your pot has good drainage; be sure to throw away the water.
- Read this article: How to irrigate snake plants properly.
Underwatering and snake plant leaves shriveling
Underwatering or watering in long intervals, causes not enough water to reach the plant, and this causes the plant to wrinkle (it loses the same interstitial water). Moonshine Sansevieria is very sensitive to dehydration, and its leaves shrink sooner. The sign of Insufficient Irrigation is that the tips of the leaves shrink and wrinkle.
How to solve this problem?
Be sure to check the soil for Irrigation and check if the plant is well watered during Irrigation. How? Water all parts of the pot so that the water comes out from under the pot. This way, you check the drainage, and also, all parts of the root absorb the water. The appropriate amount of Irrigation varies depending on the size of the plant, the quality and type of soil, the size of the pot, and the season, but generally, the snake plant should be watered once every 14 to 28 days.
High temperature
In this case, the water in the pot and the leaves evaporates faster; therefore, the plant becomes stressed faster. Make an island for the plant when the temperature rises or provide moisture with a cold fumigator so that the plant does not have any problem. (That is, pour pebbles under the pot, place the pot on the gravel, and fill the bottom of the pot with water so that the bottom of the pot is in contact with water.)
Placing next to heating appliances
When you place the plant next to the radiator or heater, the temperature around the plant rises and gradually causes the leaves to wrinkle. So try never to place your plants next to heating devices or in front of cooling devices (air conditioners) because it causes tension and stress in the plant.
Giving shock and stress to the plant
Another reason for the wrinkling of snake plant leaves is stress and shock. Transporting or repotting, changing the environment, and being chewed or nibbled by pests or insects can cause this problem. Let the plant slowly adapt to the new environment and flourish again. Pets like cats tend to play with plants and sometimes chew on their leaves or stems. Therefore, if you have a pet, you can prevent them from accessing plants by hanging their pot in a higher place.
Improper pot size
The size of the pot directly affects the growth process of your plant. If the size of the pot is small compared to the size of your plant, it can prevent its growth. On the other hand, too large a pot can lead to over-irrigation of the plant and again may cause it to wrinkle.
Improper fertilizing
Almost all plants need fertilizer for good growth. The snake plant is no exception to this rule. Improper fertilizer or improper amount of fertilizer can damage the plant. If you are using a special type of fertilizer and after a while, you notice that your plant’s leaves start to curl up and dry, it is time to change the fertilizer and look for a better option. High nitrogen fertilizers should not be used for this plant.
How to solve this problem?
As mentioned, to solve this problem, you can change the fertilizer or change its amount. In addition, you can change its soil and provide the plant with soil that has a proper percentage of fertilizer.
Low Humidity
The leaves of the snake plant, like other succulents, absorb a significant amount of water from the atmosphere around the plant. If the air in the environment of this plant is too dry, this process will slow down and cause the plant to lose moisture. Loss of moisture is another reason for the wrinkles of the leaves of the Sansevieria plant.
How to solve this problem?
Placing the plant in a room with adequate humidity, such as a bathroom, can be a good idea. In addition, you can use a humidifier, especially in winter, to provide enough moisture to your plant.
why are my snake plant leaves folding?
There are several reasons for this problem, which are the same as the reasons for wrinkling, but we will briefly review the reasons:
Overwatering: Snake plants are relatively drought-tolerant, and overwatering can lead to root rot and other problems that can cause the snake plant folding.
Underwatering: On the other hand, if the plant is not getting enough water, the leaves may fold to conserve moisture.
Lack of light: snake plants need relatively high and filtered light to grow. If the plant does not receive enough light, it folds its leaves to compensate for this deficiency.
Pest infestation: Certain pests, such as spider mites or mealybugs, can the sansevieria leaves folding.
Environmental stresses: Sudden changes in temperature or humidity or exposure to chemicals (cleaning the leaves with chemicals) can all cause snake plant leaves to curl.
snake plant leaves yellow and wrinkled: a summary
As I said above, this problem mostly occurs when the plant does not receive enough water. Also, too much light, high temperatures, and too much watering (due to root loss) can cause this problem. Although these are the main causes of wrinkling of snake plants leaves, using inappropriate soil type and improper fertilizers can also cause your snake plant leaves to wrinkle. This plant, when healthy, grows by forming dense stands via its creeping rhizome. The leaves are stiff, and the adult leaves are usually dark green with light gray stripes that can grow to a height of two to six feet. Be sure to write me your personal opinion and experience in the comments section.
The snake plant that I have is Wrinkling its leaves, how can I revive the plant?
First, you should check whether this problem is due to excessive watering or insufficient irrigation, then if it is due to excessive watering or lack of good drainage of the pot, reduce the amount of watering. And if your plant has wrinkled leaves due to insufficient watering, place the pot in a pan of water for 20 minutes to absorb the required water. Note that it takes time to fix Cherokee leaves
I haven’t watered my snake plant in months, now some of the leaves are starting to shrivel? what should i do now
It is better to put your snake plant pot in a pan of water for 20 minutes. To water our plant, it is better to check the soil of the pot once in a while and water it whenever 1/3 of the soil is dry.