From our foundation upward, the story of water begins. When overwatered, our soil environment becomes a perpetually waterlogged prison. Oxygen, which is as vital to us as it is to you, is forced out of the soil. Our roots begin to suffocate and rot in this anaerobic environment. You might notice this if you inspect us; healthy white or tan roots will turn soft, brown, or black and emit a foul, decaying odor. Conversely, when underwatered, our roots are desperately searching for any hint of moisture. They become brittle, dry, and may shrivel. Without adequate water, we cannot transport nutrients from the soil up through our stems, leaving us starved and parched.
The condition of our stems directly reflects the root's health. In cases of severe overwatering, the rot that begins in the roots travels upward into the rhizome and stem. This causes our stem to become mushy and weak, often collapsing under the weight of our own leaves and flowers. The base of the plant feels soft and unstable. Underwatering presents a very different stem issue. Without water to fill our cells and provide turgor pressure, our stems become limp, weak, and lifeless. They droop and wilt, not from rot, but from a sheer lack of hydraulic support, much like a deflated balloon.
Our leaves are the most obvious billboards announcing our distress. The yellowing from overwatering is a specific, generalized chlorosis. Often, the entire leaf will turn a pale yellow, feeling soft and boggy to the touch. It may appear bloated or blistered (edema) before eventually collapsing. In stark contrast, the wilting from underwatering is a dramatic cry for help. Our leaves droop pathetically to conserve moisture. If the thirst continues, the edges and tips will begin to turn dry, brown, and crispy. This crispiness is a definitive sign of a lack of water, as the leaf tissue literally dies from dehydration.
Our ultimate goal is to reproduce, and our flower is our pride. Both extremes of water management prevent us from achieving this. Chronic overwatering is incredibly stressful, diverting all our energy to simply survive the root rot. We have no resources left to produce a flower spike, leading to a complete absence of blooms. The stress can also cause new growth to emerge stunted or distorted. Underwatering causes a similar reproductive shutdown. We are in survival mode, conserving every drop of water for essential functions, not for the luxurious expenditure of a bloom. Any existing flower will likely wilt and die prematurely.
