Does your Jade plant have deformed leaves?
Do they look wrinkled and dull on the branches?
There could be several reasons why the Jade plant might show such behavior on its leaves.
But it truly is a concerning factor for the plant.
If you don't attend it in time, you may even lose your plant entirely.
So, in the following guide, I have shared some reasons and tips to fix this problem in your Jade plant.
Let's check them out below.
Why Do You See Deformed Leaves On Jade Plant?
As I said earlier, there are many reasons for this issue, and you will need to consider all the possibilities while dealing with it.
Now, here are some of the common reasons that can cause deformed leaves on your Jade plant -
1. You Have Pests On The Plant
Do you see any pests on the plant?
Pest attack is a known issue in this type of plant.
Since the plant has a tender, juicy leaves, many bugs like to feed on the juices present in them.
It gives them easy access to a good source of food, and the plant becomes a host for them over a period of time.
So, check for any bugs that might hide underneath the leaves.
Similarly, check the branches as well.
Some of these bugs also live in colonies and are easily identifiable too.
Here's a list of bugs that can damage the Jade plant leaves -
- Whiteflies
- Spider Mites
- Mealybugs
- Scale
- Snails
These bugs cause maximum damage to the plant.
However, in most cases, it's the Spider Mites that will probably change the shape of the leaves.
These mites are also good at hiding themselves on the plant.
Therefore, you should search for them carefully.
You may even use a magnifier glass for a better view of the leaves surface.
2. Fungal Or Bacterial Issues
Fungus and bacteria can wreak havoc on your indoor gardening plants.
If you have eliminated the possibility of pest problems, you can shift your focus to these two other issues.
When the fungus or bacteria attack the plant, they generally target weaker and tender leaves of the plant.
If you see such a thing on your Jade plant, you will need to be quick in your actions.
Otherwise, it won't take too long until these external factors affect the whole plant.
The fungus and bacteria usually get to the plant when there's too much moisture in the air as well as soil.
These are the ideal conditions for them.
3. Your Plant Is Experiencing Environmental Stress
In case you are not aware of it, plants also experience environmental stress.
This generally happens during harsh weather conditions like heat waves and frost.
Both these conditions are not suitable for indoor plants.
As a result, you get to see the impact on the leaves of your plant.
Since the leaves are the softest part of the plant, they get affected first in this process.
It's also an indication of an existing issue in the plant.
If you see such signs on your indoor plant, you should act upon it quickly.
Having said that, you will probably observe wrinkled or dried leaves with environmental stress issues.
More importantly, you shouldn't see too many deformed leaves due to the impact of this external stress.
Still, don't rule out this possibility entirely.
If you don't see any other issues in your plant, the new leaves may change their shape because of environmental changes.
So, keep an eye on it.
4. You Have Not Been Watering The Plant Regularly
I know we can be a bit careless towards our indoor plants.
These plants look green all the time, and most of them don't even show any signs of over or underwatering.
It takes quite a long period for these plants to give you an indication that they need some resources for survival.
However, the deformed leaves on your Jade plant could be the reason for the irregular watering schedule.
When you don't water the plants at a specific interval, they do not grow uniformly.
Hence, you might see some of the leaves with deformed or smaller shapes as compared to other leaves on your Jade plant.
This is also true for the branches on the plant.
Irregular watering does have a significant impact on the overall growth of the plants.
Therefore, you should definitely think of it as a possible cause for the leaf problems in your Jade plant.
In the next section, I have shared some fixes to resolve this issue.
Do check them out if you are looking for some effective solutions.
How To Fix Jade Plant's Deformed Leaves
Here's what you have to do to tackle this issue -
1. Reduce Humidity In Your Room
Humidity can invite several issues in your Jade plant.
This includes fungal activity as well as environmental stress.
Both these factors are detrimental to the growth of the plant.
And if you don't fix it quickly, you might see similar issues in your other plants as well.
To make the adjustments, you will have to make use of a dehumidifier system.
This will greatly benefit during the hot and humid days in the summer.
Other than that, you can also keep the plant in an airy place so that the plant remains dry at all times.
2. Keep The Soil Dry
If you want to keep the fungus and bacteria-related issues at bay, you will have to decrease the moisture in the soil.
The only way to achieve this purpose is by keeping the soil dry for a long time.
This is an absolutely essential requirement if you want to grow the Jade plant at a standard rate without any issues.
But how do you keep the soil dry?
There are two things you can do here -
- Provide water to the plant only when it's required.
- Put the plant in a room that has decent ventilation.
These are the only two requirements to keep things nice and dry in the pot.
So, follow them accordingly.
3. Remove Any Visible Bugs From The Plant
Are there any bugs on the plant?
Get rid of them quickly!
You can make use of a garden hose to spray water on the plant.
It should help remove most of the bugs from the leaves and branches.
Note: You shouldn't spray on the plant too often, as it may lead to overwatering as well as dampness on the plant.
4. Spray Fungicide Or Insecticide On The Plant
When you are done with water spray, let the plant dry out completely.
It might take a couple of days for this process.
In the meantime, you can observe the plant and see if there are any new bugs on the leaves.
Once the plant dries out, you can use a fungicide or insecticide spray to eliminate this problem.
Furthermore, you will have to perform the spraying method a couple of times, as some of the bugs may appear again on the plant.
It also applies to fungal growth.
5. Prune The Deformed Leaves And Branches
Pruning is the best method to get the new leaves back on the plant.
When you prune the plant, it sends a signal to the system that the plant needs more leaves for growth.
Due to this, the plant produces more new leaves and branches.
This new growth will always have better characteristics as compared to some of the deformed leaves and branches.
While pruning, you should opt for the light pruning method.
It should keep the plant from getting into too much of a shock.
If you are not sure about the whole process, you can simply pinch the deformed leaves, which should be good for the plant.
6. Place The Plant In A Bright Location
The Jade plant thrives in ample sunlight.
So, try to find a bright place in your home so that it can soak up enough sunlight during the day.
The sunlight, however, shouldn't be direct and harsh.
It should be indirect and moderate.
As for the effects, it's going to be a slow process, and you shouldn't expect something extraordinary by simply putting the plant in the sunlight.
In order to have a bigger impact, you will also have to follow the other methods shared in this guide.
Important:
If you are a new plant parent, you might think that the deformed leaves will come back to their natural shapes with some of these solutions.
But sadly, nature doesn't work this way.
Once the leaves lose their shape, it stays permanent till it completes lifecycles.
So, you can't do anything about the leaves that do not have a regular shape or size.
It won't change at all, no matter what solution or method you apply to fix them.
Nonetheless, the new leaves will most likely get a better shape and size if you follow the above suggestions.
Now, let's check out the FAQs related to this topic.
FAQs
Your plant may have wrinkled leaves because of direct sunlight exposure as well as lack of watering.
When you fix these issues, the new leaves will not have any such unusual characteristics.
You can fix the wrinkled Jade plant by providing moderate sunlight and regular watering.
These two things are essential in addressing this issue in your plant.
You may also provide some fertilizer to the plant, though it's not an absolute requirement.
Yes, you can bring any plant back to life.
But it all depends on the condition of the plant.
If the damage is severe and there aren't sufficient fresh leaves on the branches, your plant may not survive at all.
The Jade plant can drop its leaves because of overwatering, underwatering, and direct sunlight exposure.
These three elements can weaken the plant system to a great extent, which leads to such issues in the plant.
You can water your Jade plant every 7-10 days.
During winter, you may decrease the watering frequency to once or twice a month.
Art says
I did spray the plant with water about 10 min later.
Art says
My jade plant leaves are slumping downward. The new leaves are very small, and they too, are slumping. I did notice white like groups at the stems and under the leaves. I did not know what to use to get rid of these bugs, so I sprayed them with alcohol to my amazement, the plant still looks strong.