🦖 Why Are My Jurassic Dino Greenie Rex Begonia Leaves Curling? (2024)

By Kiersten Rankel

Jun 06, 2024•4 min read

Curl patterns hint at issues like water, light, pests, or disease.
🌡️ Stable climate prevents curling; avoid temperature swings.
🌱 Adjust care and monitor to prevent and address curling.

Spotting the Signs: Leaf Curling in Action

🍃 Recognizing Leaf Curling

Begonia leaves should be broad and uncurled, a visual feast of flatness. When they start to mimic a scroll, it's a red flag. Look for leaves that are folding in on themselves, taking on shapes that are far from their natural state. This could manifest as gentle waves, tight spirals, or even tube-like formations. Timing is crucial; early growing season is often when symptoms first appear.

🕵️ Decoding the Curl

Each curl pattern is a clue to the plant's plight. Are the younger leaves or the older ones affected? Is it a local issue or is the whole plant involved? Inward curling may signal dehydration, while outward curls could indicate excessive light. Irregular curling? That's often a red flag for pests or disease. Discoloration and texture changes are additional distress signals to watch for.

The Usual Suspects: Common Causes of Leaf Curling

💧 Thirsty Roots or Drowning?

Watering your Jurassic Dino Greenie Rex Begonia is less about sticking to a strict schedule and more about observing your plant's needs. Overwatering can suffocate roots, leading to droopy, curled leaves. On the other hand, underwatering leaves your begonia's leaves reaching skyward, begging for moisture. The soil's moisture level is your cue; it should feel like a well-wrung sponge—moist but not soggy.

🌡 Too Hot, Too Cold, Just Right

Temperature and humidity are the stage on which your begonia performs. Dramatic fluctuations in temperature can send your plant into a tizzy, causing leaves to curl as if bracing against the elements. Aim for a steady, begonia-friendly climate—think a mild Mediterranean breeze, not a tropical typhoon or Arctic blast. Humidity should be just enough to keep the leaves from curling up like party streamers, but not so much that they wilt.

🌞 Light: Finding the Sweet Spot

Lighting is a game of shadows and highlights for your begonia. Too much direct sunlight, and the leaves curl up as if trying to shield themselves from a spotlight. Too little, and they'll stretch out, thin and yearning. Diffused light is your best bet, giving your plant the glow it needs without the harshness of direct rays. It's about finding that sweet spot where your begonia can bask without fear of getting burned.

Unwanted Guests: Pests and Diseases

🕷️ Pests That Make Leaves Curl

Spider mites and thrips are notorious for making a meal of your Jurassic Dino Greenie Rex Begonia. These tiny critters are stealthy, but their damage is conspicuous. Leaves curl, discolor, and may even showcase fine webbing, a telltale sign of a spider mite rave on your plant.

To catch these pests, shake a leaf over white paper. If you see tiny, moving specks, it's time to evict your thrips. For spider mites, look for their miniature webbing under leaves and along stems.

Insecticidal soap or neem oil can be effective bouncers, showing these pests the door. Apply with precision, targeting the undersides of leaves where these pests love to lurk.

🦠 Diseases That Distort

Fungal and bacterial diseases are like the silent but destructive partygoers who leave a trail of chaos. Powdery mildew leaves a ghostly residue, while leaf spot diseases flaunt their presence with unsightly blemishes.

If you spot brown or black spots with a yellow halo, it's time for action. Prune affected foliage carefully, and consider a fungicide if the situation calls for it. But remember, less is more—over-application can harm more than help.

Airflow is your ally in preventing these diseases. Ensure your begonia isn't suffocating in stagnant air, and avoid wetting the leaves during your watering routine. Prevention is the best cure, so keep your plant's environment in check to avoid these unwelcome guests.

Turning Over a New Leaf: Recovery and Prevention

🌱 Adjusting Care Routines

In the quest to prevent leaf curling, it's crucial to fine-tune your care routine. Think of it as a feedback loop—your plant gives signals, and you adjust accordingly.

Watering Wisdom: Match your watering to the season—less in winter, more in summer.
Rotation Ritual: Regularly rotate your begonia to promote even growth.
Temperature and Humidity: Use a thermometer and hygrometer to monitor your plant's climate.

👀 Monitoring and Maintenance

Vigilance is your best tool in maintaining plant health. Keep an eye out for early signs of distress and be ready to act swiftly.

Pest Patrol: Regular inspections for pests can save you from a world of trouble.
Disease Defense: Keep foliage dry to ward off fungal foes.
Growth Celebrations: New growth is a high-five for your efforts—acknowledge it!

Remember, adjustments should be more like a DJ's subtle tweaks, not a complete genre switch. Keep your plant's environment as consistent as a favorite coffee routine, and you'll be rewarded with lush, healthy growth.

Banish the curl from your begonia's leaves and ensure thriving growth 🌿 with Greg's tailored watering schedules and pest management tips, keeping your green friends happy and healthy!

#Begonia

418 posts on Greg

He was fine last week #Begonia
I got my first #Maranta #PrayerPlant at the grocery store a couple weeks ago, and she’s already twice the size! I was a little bit nervous because I’ve heard they’re persnickety, but she’s been a dream so far! Last night while grocery shopping, they had #PolkaDotBegonia! I couldn’t pass it up; it was a wishlist plant and cheap! Letting her acclimate to her new home. And just wanted to share some updated pics of some of my orange flowers outside! Princess Peach’s bloom opened and it’s gawgeous, my calendula is steadily blooming and I think she’s more than ready to be planted in the flower bed, and the wallflowers are wallflowering 🧡🧡🧡 #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #NewGrowth #OutdoorGrowing #OutsidePlants #Begonia #BegoniaBunch #PlantTherapy #babevila
The big root or whatever it’s called I’m not even sure, I’m not sure how to plant this thing! It died on me and I was determined, and there are some pretty leafs on it now. I’m so happy. I am still not sure how to plant this sucker though!! Any help would be so appreciated 😁 #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #Begonia #GregGang #help
Whats happening?? Treated for pests 3 times:(( #Begonia
Pruning? I just got this beauty but I want to cut him back so he becomes more full. I propagate in water all the time but I've read that if you try to prop large specimens they focus too much on keeping the large plant alive and struggle with making roots. Does anyone have advice on this? I don't want to chop him up and ruin him!! #leggy #begonia #prop #trimming #cutting #rooting #polkadot #maculata