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Why Is My Arrowhead Plant Drooping – 7 Reasons (With Solutions)

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Has your precious arrowhead plant started to droop? Do you want to find out why is my arrowhead plant drooping? You’re in the right place if the answer to these questions is a yes.

Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about why is my arrowhead plant drooping, what causes drooping, and how to fix it.

So, why is my arrowhead plant drooping?

Well, there can be many possible causes. Many environmental changes can lead to drooping arrowheads, ranging from low humidity to temperature fluctuations. But the most common cause is over-watering and under-watering.

Identifying the problem is the first step towards fixing it. Keep on reading to identify the problem and find a solution why is my arrowhead plant drooping?

Why Is My Arrowhead Plant Drooping 1
Droopy arrowhead plant. Overwatered? Will it perk up? – via Reddit

Why Is My Arrowhead Plant Drooping

Many factors can contribute to making your arrowhead leaves droop. If your plant has started to look unhealthy, the following might be why.

Underwatering

The first thing you need to check is the moisture levels of the soil when your plant’s leaves start to droop. Forgetting to water plants is something we all do, and it leads to wilting foliage. However, underwatering is one of the main causes to identify.

For arrowheads, the soil must be moisturized at least 2.5 cm deep. The way to identify underwatering is poking your finger 2.5 cm deep into the soil and if it’s dry deep down, then you’re underwatering the plant.

Underwatering does lead to drooping, but it can also cause brown leaves, which have crispy edges and tips. Underwatering will also lead to the roots drying out, making the plant unable to take up any nutrients. Underwatering your arrowhead is equivalent to starving it.

Overwatering

Overwatering is a mistake many gardeners make, but unlike underwatering, the damage is much harder to reverse, sometimes even impossible. Overwatering your arrowheads is the same thing as drowning them.

Overwatering can happen if you’re watering your plants too often and the soil isn’t well-drained. And the results of overwatering can be harmful. One of them is root rot.

Root rot is a condition where a pathogen causes a plant’s roots to deteriorate. This can lead to the plant drooping, wilting, and eventually dying. The pathogens that cause root rot thrive in wet conditions. Fungi are the most common pathogen that treats the roots of a plant’s roots as a host.

There are many ways to identify over-watering as your problem. If the soil is wet for ten days consecutively, you’re overwatering it. Soggy soil, rotting roots, smelly plant are other symptoms of overwatering.

Low Humidity

Arrowhead plants originate from South America, which is a humid area. This is why they are evolved to thrive in a humid environment. Arrowheads are tropical plants, and that is why low humidity can lead to drooping and the plant falling over.

Keep in mind that humidity levels less than 30 percent aren’t healthy for arrowhead plants. If low humidity is accompanied by underwatering, your plant is under threat.

Low Temperatures

Arrowheads need a temperature between 60 degrees Fahrenheit to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. As it’s a tropical plant, arrowhead prefers warmer temperatures. That is why if the temperature drops lower than 10 degrees F, your plant will start to droop.

Keeping your plant close to a drafty window can have the same effect. Even if the house is warm, cold air can cause the plant to fall over. Temperature stress can cause arrowhead plant damage.

Over-fertilizing

Too many fertilizers can cause the roots to stop functioning. Over-fertilizing can lead the salt concentration in the soil to increase, which can cause the death of beneficial micro-organisms.

You’re overdoing the fertilizer if there’s a layer of a white crust on the top of the soil, which can lead to your plant drooping.

Poor Lighting

Arrowheads will have healthy growth if placed in bright, but indirect light. But if they’re in low light, they won’t grow. Light is significant for a plant’s growth because it is used in photosynthesis.

In Need of Repotting

If you see roots growing out of the pot’s drainage holes, it’s time for repotting. But if you’re not sure whether your plant needs repotting, do not do it. Unnecessary repotting can create a hurdle in its growth.

Why Is My Arrowhead Plant Drooping 2
Why is my arrowhead plant suddenly drooping? – via Reddit

Solutions

If you’ve identified the problem, you’re now looking for appropriate solutions. We have made a list of ways you can avoid drooping arrowheads. Let’s get into them!

  1. Don’t water on a schedule. Check the soil’s dryness and water accordingly.
  2. Use a pot with drainage holes. The perfect pot for arrowheads is the Plastic Plant Pot. It’s available on Amazon.
  3. Water the soil, and while watering, make sure that it soaks up water till the top.
  4. Continue watering until water runs out of drainage holes.
  5. If the water dries out quickly, repot the plant.
  6. Use a digital hygrometer to monitor the humidity. Get your hands on the Vaisala Thermohygrometer. It has an integrated probe and is available on Amazon.
  7. A digital thermometer will allow you to make sure that your plant won’t ever be too cold. Visit Amazon, and get yourself the 3-in-1 Infrared Thermometer.
  8. A humidifier can help you quickly boost up the humidity levels.
  9. If you think that your plant is overfertilized, take your plant to the sink and run water through it for 5 minutes.
  10. Move your plant to a spot where there is bright sunlight, but not falling directly on it.

Conclusion

If your arrowhead is drooping, the first that you need to consider is that maybe there is a watering problem. Overwatering and underwatering either can be the issue. Other causes can be over-fertilizing, poor lighting, temperature, and humidity stress.

If you want your plant to stop drooping, you can use preventative and damage control methods, like changing your watering ways and monitoring the temperature and humidity. Using products like Vaisala Thermohygrometer, 3-in-1 Infrared Thermometer, and Plastic Plant Pot will also help to improve your plant’s health.

Hopefully, this article aided in addressing your query. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below and we’ll get back to you.