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keith_wright95

Leaves Curling Upward

7 years ago

Hello everyone,
I live in southern Arizona, zone 9b. Recently, I have moved into a house that has a number of citrus trees - oranges, kumquat, lemons, lime, grapefruit - both in land and pots. Prior to this, I have no experience with caring for citrus trees and have done an extensive amount of research.
One thing I'm seeing on many of the trees is that the leaves are curling upward. There is no yellow nor a large amount of leaf drop to be of concern. As helpful as the internet can be, I keep reading conflicting sources of what could be causing this. From my readings and seeing other people's trees, I've narrowed it down to two things - early signs of over watering, or it's the plant's response to summer heat (we're averaging 105 right now). Hoping to get some experienced feedback or advice.
Thank you in advance for your time and help!

Comment (1)

  • 3 years ago

    I realize this is an old post, but I'm hoping the info might still be helpful to the OP or others.

    Leaves - Reading

    When leaf tips or margins abnormally curl/cup upward, it's usually an indication the plant is trying to retain moisture – most common causes are dry soils or high temps; or, if you are using supplemental lighting, the lights might be too close.

    When leaf margins curl down, especially if leaves droop abnormally from the base of the leaf to the leaf tip, there is probably an issue affecting root function or health. The main causal suspects would be over-watering or soil compaction causing an inadequate supply of oxygen to roots, a root infection, or a TDS (fertility) level too high, which can limit water uptake.

    Al