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Have you suddenly woken up this morning and come across a Silver pothos with curling leaves where before there was a happy, healthy houseplant? This is always a sign that the plant is in distress. Getting to the bottom of the issue as soon as you can helps prevent more leaves curling and even the death of your indoor plant.

Silver pothos curling leaves are signs of problems like over- or underwatering. It can also be the plant’s way of indicating it requires more or less light. Leaf curling also happens when the plant is overfed or dealing with pest infestation or disease.

Here you will find all about why your silver pothos’ leaves are curling and how to fix them. The good news is it’s possible to resolve all these issues fairly simply. 

Read on to learn about pothos leaves curling and how to prevent and fix the situation.

Satin Silver Pothos with leaves curling

Why are my Silver pothos leaves curling?

Silver pothos leaves curl because of poor light exposure, under or overwatering, or a disease. They may also curl because of pest infestation, root-bound, and compacted soil. However, with the right management, you can reverse the situation. 

You may be disappointed when you find your silver pothos plants have curling leaves. That said, within no time at all and just a bit of effort, your silver’ pothos leaves should go back to their magnificent appearance.

Silver pothos is hardy, and even as a novice, it’s hard to kill one. However, it’s possible to notice the plant is in distress based on several signs. These signs indicate something needs to change to restore the state of the plant.

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The following are the main reasons why your Silver pothos leaves are curling.

1. Overwatering

Your Silver pothos loves moist soil and it’s important to know how often to water your pothos to get it just right. However, if you water the plant frequently, it can result in curling leaves due to there being excess moisture in the soil. The more you add, the worse the situation becomes.

Excess moisture leads to problems like root and stem rot. The root system and stem turn mushy. If this happens, it can be hard to save the Silver pothos.

Find out more: 15 Signs of an Overwatered Pothos (and How to Fix It)

2. Underwatering the Silver pothos

Watering is important for houseplants, but giving the plants the right amount of water is always important. You may think that you are getting better at taking care of the Silver pothos when watering. However, checking the soil of some of the plants can be an eye-opener.

That is, the dried out soil that comes from underwatering your pothos is another possible cause of your Silver pothos leaves’ curling. This may impact the health of the plants and might be going on for some time.

3. Lacking enough light

Houseplants can be low maintenance, but you have to take care of them so they can thrive. As for Silver pothos, leaf curling can be a chance to learn. One example is that the spot where you place the Silver pothos may not be getting ample indirect light.

Outside, pothos get ample light even if they’re better off not being exposed to harsh sun rays. When growing indoors, the pothos still need lots of light to thrive. When they lack ample light, you may notice the leaves turning yellow and curling.

Satin silver pothos with leaves curling inward

4. Insect infestation

You can admit that sometimes you have neglected your Silver pothos a little. You may be in a hurry with watering and checking, so you miss a few indicators of a huge problem. The result of this could be that, apart from underwatering, your Silver pothos may also be facing an insect infestation.

Some common Silver pothos pests can attack the plants at any time. These bugs include:

  • Spider mites. Spider mites are like tiny spiders that can infest Silver pothos growing indoors. They thrive under the pothos leaves and feed on the sap, causing curling.
  • Mealy bugs. Mealybugs are wingless insects that look like tiny cotton balls underneath the pothos leaves. These also feed on the leaf sap resulting in curling.
  • Whitefly. Whiteflies are small insects with a triangular shape that thrive on the back of pothos leaves. Despite the name, these insects are wingless.
  • Soft scale. Soft scale are larger insects that can resemble parts of the plant at times. On close inspection, you notice the bugs feeding on the Silver pothos.
  • Thrips. Thrips are invasive insects with fringed wings that attack Silver pothos. Their favorite spot on the plant is on the back part of the leaves with other insects.
  • Aphids. Aphids are as big as a pin-head, and their underbelly has cornicles. These are a pair of tube-like needles that prick the leaves, allowing sucking.
  • Fungus gnats. Fungus gnats thrive in the soil of Silver pothos growing indoors. They feed on organic matter and can also eat the houseplant’s roots.

5. Diseases

In additional to insect infestation, Silver pothos can have diseases, and one major issue that affects Silver pothos is root rot. This is due to overwatering you may have done in the past. When the plant has too much water that’s not draining, you may start to see the stem get soft and the roots rot.

Root rot in pothos takes time to start showing signs on the plant. When the leaves begin to curl, the roots may be too far gone. It’s always better to monitor houseplants and even check the soil for excess moisture. If there’s a drainage issue, fix it immediately.

6. Temperature and humidity stress

Did you know that if it’s too hot or cold, the leaves of the pothos can experience curling? Temperature stress happens when the plants are in a spot with too much heat or not enough. When the area is too hot, the Silver pothos’ leaves tend to curl inward.

Indoor settings are excellent for Silver pothos since they stay away from the hot summer sun. However, your mistake may be leaving your Silver pothos near a vent when it is hot outside. The excess heat from the vent causes the leaves to curl.

And don’t forget to consider your pothos’ humidity needs too. If they’re not met, this can also lead to leaf curling.

satin silver pothos leaves curling and yellow

7. Compacted soil

Houseplants like Silver pothos tend to form compacted soil after some time. Regular watering has this effect since the plant is growing in a container. The compacted soil prevents proper aeration of the roots.

When the root system doesn’t get enough air, the plant suffers. You start to notice curling leaves and the general weakness of the houseplant. The more compact the soil is, the worse the situation.

8. Root bound

When was the last time you repotted your Silver pothos? After some time, the plant grows too many roots and becomes root bound. This means its root system is too developed for the current pot.

A root-bound Silver pothos is weak and you may notice your pothos not growing as it should. You’ll also notice that such a plant has curling leaves and you may even see your pothos start to droop. Even with proper care, the lack of space still affects its well-being.

Find out more: 7 Signs of a Root Bound Pothos (and How to Fix It)

9. Excess direct light

While little light is an issue with Silver pothos, so is lots of direct light. The sun’s harsh rays tend to burn the leaves of the pothos, leaving brown marks. If this goes on for longer, the same issue continues to occur.

The Silver pothos will start curling its leaves inwards to escape the harsh sun rays. Plats turning brown is only the beginning of the problem. With time, your Silver pothos can die if you don’t move them from that spot.

silver pothos with leaves curling inward

10. Overfeeding with fertilizer

Nutrients are essential for every plant. It’s always crucial to add fertilizer to pothos (and other plants) growing in a home. Plants in pots are in dire need of nutrient supplement feeding.

As for your Silver pothos, you may think to add a little extra fertilizer, hoping they will grow stronger vines. However, this is a huge mistake, since now the excess nutrients may cause the leaves to curl. While the plant loves the nutrients, excess fertilizer can hurt houseplants.

How to prevent my Silver pothos leaves curling

You can prevent Silver pothos leaves curling by watering your plant properly, applying fertilizers correctly, and maintaining ample light, light, and humidity. Also, make sure to check on your plant from time to time so you can eradicate pests and treat diseases as soon as they appear.

Many issues can cause Silver pothos leaves to curl. While curling can affect the quality of the plant, it’s possible to save it. Below are some tips on how to prevent Silver pothos leaves from curling.

Related: 10 Causes of Your Pothos Leaves Curling (and How to Fix It)

1. Proper watering

Too little or too much water causes Silver pothos leaves to curl. Therefore, the best thing to do to prevent this is proper watering. You can use a finger to check the state of the topsoil of the plant. If the soil is dry, it’s time to water your Silver Pothos.

Use a watering can to add water to the topsoil when watering pothos. Keep watering until the water comes out of the drain hole at the bottom of the plant container. This is an indication that the entire plant has sufficient moisture.

2. Avoid overfeeding

Your Silver pothos may have seen it all when it comes to overfeeding. You may have felt that they needed more fertilizer since they were in containers. However, several incidents of curling leaves prove you are overfeeding these houseplants

Another way to prevent curling leaves is to avoid overfeeding Silver pothos. As much as these plants might need more nutrients, overdoing only causes issues. Due to overfeeding, the plants can also suffer from root rot and crunchy soil.

silver pothos

3. Provide enough light

Light exposure is critical for the health of indoor plants like Silver pothos. These plants love light but have specific requirements. Too little light will cause the Silver pothos leaves to curl outwards towards the light source.

Sometimes your silver pothos leaves are curling inward because of too much light. Therefore, check the light exposure to ensure its proper indirect light is enough for the plant. The best place is where natural light comes in, but sun rays won’t harm the pothos leaves.

4. Protect from infestation

The easiest way to prevent insect infestation on Silver pothos is by wiping the leaves. Use some rubbing alcohol and cotton balls to wipe the leaves clean. Always cover the bottom and top parts of each Silver Pothos leaf.

The sharp scent of rubbing alcohol will keep most insects away from the plants. You can use insecticides when you realize some bugs are attacking your houseplants. Also, always remove all dead leaves and vines affected by the insects.

5. Handle diseases the right way

Apart from bugs, Silver pothos is prone to illnesses like root rot and fungal and bacterial infections. It’s crucial to tackle root rot as soon as possible once it develops in any house plants.

The first step to take if there’s suspicion of root rot is isolating the affected plant. Remove all the soil from the plant and wash it well, cutting off the infected root. If it’s not possible to save the plant, get cuttings and discard the rest of the pothos and soil.

juvenile silver pothos with leaves curling after repotting and propagation

6. Maintain the right temperature and humidity levels

The atmosphere inside the house must be right for houseplants. This means maintaining the right temperature and humidity levels. By using a humidifier, it’s possible to keep the environment around Silver pothos sufficiently moist.

Have a thermometer that checks the temperature in the house. Keep one in your plant area to check if it’s too hot or cold. After that, you can adjust the HVAC system to suit your Silver pothos and other houseplants.

7. Repot

You should periodically repot your pothos plant to prevent the soil from compacting and avoid diseases. The pothos will thrive better in fresh soil medium and will not easily curl.

However, you may notice your Silver pothos curling even after repotting. In such a case, discard the entire plant and soil. You can take a few cuttings from the healthy parts.

Find out more: 8 Simple Steps to Propagate Satin Pothos Successfully

What does it mean if my Silver pothos leaves are curling and yellow?

If your Silver pothos leaves are yellowing and curling, this is a clear indication of a problem. The most likely issues are that your plant has a disease or due to poor lighting, overwatering, or underwatering. You can restore your plant to health by correcting the cause.

Yellowing Silver pothos leaves isn’t a good sign. Usually, this means there’s something wrong with the plant. Unfortunately, once the leaves turn yellow, there’s no way to turn them green again. This is even true after solving the issue with the plant.

Like any other house plant, Silver pothos requires some level of maintenance. Though these aren’t fussy indoor plants, they need watering to stay alive. If there’s any underwater or overwatering case, the leaves will curl and turn yellow.

If the top quarter of the soil is dry, it’s time for watering. You can use a can to pour water at the base of the Silver pothos until it comes out from the drain hole.

When your plant is happy, return it to a spot in the house that gets ample indirect light. Silver pothos aren’t a big fan of direct harsh sun rays, but they still require light. Too little light causes the leaves to curl and turn yellow.

Final thoughts on Satin pothos leaves curling

Silver pothos are low maintenance houseplants that aren’t easy to kill. However, this doesn’t mean that the plant can’t deteriorate with poor management. 

Problems like over or under watering, poor light intensity, or overfeeding cause curling leaves. Also, watch out for insect infestation, disease, temperature, or humidity distress.

Repot all plants with diseases in fresh soil medium. However, discard the plant and the soil if you notice silver pothos leaves are curling after repotting.