From my roots to my highest leaf, water is my lifeblood. When you forget to water me, the entire system begins to fail. My soil becomes a dry, inhospitable desert. My roots, desperate for moisture, find none. Without water to fill them, the cells in my stems and leaves lose their turgor pressure—the internal water pressure that keeps me upright and firm. Think of my stems as water-filled balloons; when the water is gone, they go limp. The droop you see is a direct, dramatic cry for help. My large, beautiful leaves are especially vulnerable because they have a greater surface area from which to lose water. To revive me, give me a thorough, deep watering. Place my pot in a sink and water slowly until liquid flows freely from the drainage holes. This ensures my entire root ball is rehydrated. Please, do not just give me a splash; that only wets the surface and teases my thirsty roots.
Paradoxically, your kindness can also drown me. When you water me too frequently, or my pot lacks drainage, my roots are trapped in a soggy, airless environment. My roots need oxygen as much as they need water. In waterlogged soil, they begin to suffocate and die. This decay is known as root rot. Once my roots are damaged, they can no longer absorb water or nutrients, no matter how much is in the soil. The result is the same as underwatering: my leaves droop because water cannot travel up to them. You must check my roots. Gently lift me from my pot. Healthy roots are firm and white or tan. Rotten roots are mushy, dark brown or black, and may smell foul. If you find rot, use sterile shears to cut away all the affected roots. Repot me into fresh, well-draining aroid mix and a clean pot with drainage. Be patient; it will take time for me to recover and grow new, healthy roots.
I am a tropical plant, evolved for warm, stable, and humid conditions. Sudden changes in my environment are a profound shock to my system. A cold draft from a window or an air conditioning vent can cause my cells to contract and function poorly, leading to drooping leaves. Similarly, excessive dry heat from a radiator will pull moisture from my leaves faster than my roots can replace it, causing them to wilt. Low humidity is a constant, silent battle for me. In arid air, I lose water through tiny pores on my leaves (stomata) at an accelerated rate. This places immense stress on my internal water transport system. To make me happy, keep me away from drafts and heating/cooling sources. Increase the humidity around me by grouping me with other plants, using a pebble tray filled with water, or running a humidifier. A stable, warm, and humid microclimate reminds me of home and allows my leaves to stay perky.
As I grow, my root system expands to support my increasing size. If I remain in the same pot for too long, my roots become densely packed, or "pot-bound." In this state, there is very little soil left to hold water and nutrients. When you water, it may just run down the sides of the root ball without truly hydrating me. Furthermore, a tight mass of roots cannot access the resources it needs to sustain my large leaves. The result is, once again, a drooping appearance. Check if my roots are circling the inside of the pot or growing out of the drainage holes. If so, it is time to repot me. Choose a new pot that is only 1-2 inches larger in diameter. Gently loosen my root ball before placing me in fresh soil. This gives my roots new space to explore and access the water and nutrients required to keep my foliage strong and upright.
