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Are Drooping Flowers Natural or Problem [Truth Revealed]

Are you confused about your drooping flowers, not knowing if they are natural or stressed? The answer is not always straightforward and may require a closer inspection.

Drooping flowers in late summer or fall indicates a natural process of maturing. Still, sometimes problems of water stress, pest and diseases, transplant shock, and environmental factors can also cause sudden drooping.

Therefore, be quick to find out what may be bothering your bloomer to solve the problem of droopy flowers.

Types of Drooping Flowers

Plants droop naturally as a part of their growth and reproductive cycle, and their blooms are no different.

In fact, drooping perennial flowers are the first to indicate your plant is experiencing a change, usually from these three factors.

  1. Maturity: Some species droop as they mature and near the end of their blooming cycle. These drooping flower heads will make way for seed pods, a natural part of their reproductive cycle.
  2. Day-Night Cycle: Some droop at night and open up during the day to conserve energy and protect the flower’s reproductive organs from nighttime predators.
  3. Protection from Elements: They droop naturally to defend themselves from extreme weather conditions like wind or heavy rain.

You need not worry about natural drooping as these flowers will perk back up.

Natural drooping is common in plant varieties like sunflower
Natural drooping is common in plant varieties like sunflowers, usually occurring at the flowering season’s end.

If you are wondering, here is a table listing all types of flowers that will droop naturally so you can carefully pick your garden bloomers.

1. Perennials/Annuals

FlowersGrowing Zone
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)USDA Zones 3-9
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)USDA Zones 3-9
Four O'Clock (Mirabilis jalapa)USDA Zones 9-11
Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea)USDA Zones 2-11 (Mostly annuals)
Poppies (Papaver spp.)USDA Zones 3-9

2. Blooming Vines

SpeciesGrowing Zone
Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)USDA Zones 5-9
Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)USDA Zones 4-9
Clematis (Clematis spp.)USDA Zones 3-9
Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.)USDA Zones 3-9
Climbing Roses (Rosa spp.)USDA Zones 4-9

3. Flowering Shrubs

ShrubsGrowing Zone
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)USDA Zones 3-8
Forsythia (Forsythia spp.)USDA Zones 5-8
Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)USDA Zones 3-9
Weigela (Weigela florida)USDA Zones 4-8
Bridal Wreath Spirea (Spiraea prunifolia)USDA Zones 5-8

4. Blooming Trees

VarietiesGrowing Zone
Cherry Blossom (Prunus spp.)USDA Zones 5-9
Magnolia (Magnolia spp.)USDA Zones 4-10
Dogwood (Cornus florida)USDA Zones 5-9
Weeping Cherry (Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula')USDA Zones 5-8
Redbud (Cercis spp.)USDA Zones 4-9

Remember, these trees droop naturally when they attain a specific age, height, and growth, giving them their signature appearance.

How Do You Revive Drooping Flowers? (Causes & Solutions)

Nothing to worry about if your flowers droop naturally, as they will perk up once the weather conditions are ideal.

However, be wary about untimely drooping flowers in a vase or garden, which may indicate serious problems of environmental stress, pests or diseases, and lack of care and maintenance.

1. Lack of Water

Remember, watering is essential for any plant and needs a steady supply before and during the growing season to maintain its growth.

When flowers don’t get enough water, their stems can become weak and unable to support the weight of the flowers.

Therefore, lack of water causes them to droop unconditionally.

drooping flowers in pot
The lack of water affects the plant’s ability to photosynthesize, leading to droopy flowers.

Look out for common watering problems, including drooping leaves and yellowed and browning foliage, to determine a lack of watering.

Quick Treatments

  • Watering the flowers immediately should help them perk up within a few hours.
  • Moisten them thoroughly and deeply to ensure the water reaches the root zone.
  • Avoid watering during the hottest part of the day, as it can cause the water to evaporate from the soil quickly.
  • Adding a layer of organic mulch around the base of the plants helps retain moisture in the soil.
  • For severely drooped flowers, remove the spent yields and maintain watering as the plant requires to ensure healthy flower development.
For established flowering plants, it is usually sufficient to water them once or twice a week in spring and summer, depending on the variety’s needs.

2. Too Much Water

While a lack of water can cause untimely drooping clusters of flowers, overwatering can also cause blossoms to droop suddenly.

Unlike dehydrated flowers, saturated blooms are a byproduct of root rot due to overwatering.

The waterlogged soil can deprive the roots of oxygen, leading to root rot and the inability to retain nutrients essential for flowering.

If you suspect overwatering is the issue, check telltale signs like yellowing leaves, decayed lower stems, stunted growth, and root rot.

For further diagnosis, slide out the plant and check for mushy, browned, decayed roots.

Reduce the watering frequency and ensure the soil has good drainage to treat overwatering and blossom problems.

Quick Treatments

  • Cut back on watering immediately and let the soil dry out.
  • Remove spent flowers and decayed leaves to refocus energy toward healthy growth.
  • If infested with fungal rot (root rot), consider pruning off infected roots, applying fungicide, and transplanting it in a fresh potting mix.
  • For future events, water the plant appropriately and adjust the watering schedule based on the weather and climate.
Good soil drainage is essential for flowers to thrive; hence, improve or replace the soil drainage to keep the plant roots healthy.

3. Heat Stress

Although plants need bright light to bloom, they will suffer in high temperatures and direct sunlight, which causes flowers to droop.

When temperatures are too high, usually above 90°F, plants may stop flowering altogether or produce fewer blooms as the heat can lead to transpiration.

Look out for telltale signs of heat stress in your flowers, including:

  • Drooping: Excess transpiration leads to a droopy flower appearance.
  • Burned/Yellow leaves: Leaves may turn yellow or develop brown spots.
  • Stunted growth: Plants grow more slowly or not at all.

It is best to provide quick treatment if you witness your plant suffering from excess heat.

Quick Treatments

  • Immediately move your plant to shade or a more fantastic location. Use a shade cloth if moving them is not possible.
  • Remove burned and spent leaves and flowers to reduce further plant stress.
  • Water the plant immediately if it has not been watered for days.
  • Adding a layer of mulch around the base of the plant helps retain moisture in the soil.
  • Alternatively, add a room humidifier and a small fan to circulate humidity and air around the plant to reduce heat stress.
Pro Tip: Cut back on fertilizing until the plant seems to revive.

4. Cold Temperature

Like heat stress, prolonged cold temperatures can have an equally altering effect on flowering.

Most flowering plants can withstand a minimum temperature of up to 33°F – 37°F, while cold-sensitive blossoms should be maintained above 50°F.

Therefore, cold can harm plants that are already blooming and may experience sudden drooping.

Dormant plants may also experience cold stress, which can lead to prolonged dormancy, which the following signs can determine:

  • Delayed flowering: These plants may experience a delay in the onset of flowering.
  • Stunted growth: Cold temperatures slow down plants’ overall development.
  • Leaf damage: Exposure to cold temperatures can cause leaves to become discolored or damaged.

Quick Treatments

  • Start with moving your plant to direct sunlight or a warm, bright location away from cold or frost.
  • For outdoor-grown plants, consider covering them with an insulation sheet or blanket.
  • Remove spent and decayed leaves and flowers to reduce further stress on the plant.
  • For indoor plants, use a heat mat or place it near a heat lamp or a heater until it revives.
Fertilizing the plant immediately after the winter will help boost its expected growth and encourage flowering.

5. Transplant Shock

Witnessing drooping flowers is expected when you abruptly repot your plant in a new pot in a growing season.

When you transplant a flower, it goes through a period of shock and begins drooping. Consider it a natural response to uprooting and moving to a new location.

Therefore, it is a bad idea to transplant your flowering plants in summer or sometimes fall.

drooping Trumpet flower
Drooping Trumpet flowers are natural, unlike the leaves.

Other times, wrong repotting practices conducted in early spring may also affect the plant’s ability to flower.

Quick Treatments

  • Apply formulated fertilizers specifically designed for use after transplanting to help support healthy growth.
  • Remove excessively drooped flowers, leaves, and outer stems to reduce the amount of stress that it is experiencing.
  • Water regularly, avoid cold stress, and provide bright or direct sunlight as required to help them recover.
Given time and comprehensive care, most plants will recover from transplant shock in a few weeks.

6. Nutrient Deficiencies

Lack of essential nutrients can cause flowers to droop suddenly, especially when you fail to fertilize upon flowering.

Moreover, failing to provide fertilizer altogether may affect a plant’s ability to flower.

Remember, most flowering plants need a regular boost of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium throughout spring and summer to maintain healthy foliage, root development, and flowering.

Late winter blooming shrubs like snowdrops, daffodils, and jonquils will require fertilizing throughout winter.

Look out for telltale signs of stunted growth, yellowing or browning of leaves, and fewer or small flower sizes.

Quick Treatments

  • Identify the nutrient deficiency, such as; yellowing leaves indicating a lack of nitrogen, while poor flowering can indicate a lack of phosphorus.
  • Choose the right fertilizer that is high in the missing nutrient. For example, a fertilizer with a 10-30-20 ratio is high in phosphorus.
  • Apply the fertilizer as the manufacturer or experts advised and avoid over-fertilizing at all costs.
  • Water the plant thoroughly after applying the fertilizer to help it absorb the nutrients.
  • Depending on the severity of the nutrient deficiency, apply the fertilizer again in a few weeks or months.
As a precaution, use a balanced 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 fertilizer throughout the growing season to maintain healthy blooming.

7. Pests and Diseases

Pests and diseases are common enemies of any garden or houseplant, affecting a plant’s ability to flower.

The blossoming flowers are likely to wilt or droop when the plant is affected by sap-sucking pests like aphids, mites, and thrips.

These insects consume the healthy plant’s sap, preventing the water and nutrients from reaching the flowers.

Look out for telltale signs like discolored spots or lesions, distorted flowers, and deformed stem growth to identify the pest problem. 

Similarly, fungal (Botrytis blight and Fusarium wilt) and bacterial diseases affect the root’s ability to intake water and nutrients, which could reach the flowers.

As a result, the flowers will droop suddenly and die over time as the problem spreads.

Quick Treatments

  • Remove or destroy the severely infected plant to prevent further spread.
  • Otherwise, prune off a mildly infected plant’s damaged leaves, flowers, and stems.
  • Wash the plant with insecticidal soap mixed with water or neem oil to treat pests and diseases immediately.
  • Apply systemic fungicide and bacterial spray to treat fungal and bacterial infections.
To prevent future pest and disease problems, practice good garden hygiene by improving air circulation, avoiding excess moisture and humidity stress, and regular pruning.

8. Improper Pruning

Flowers not cared for properly, including improper pruning or damages, will likely droop or die.

You can expect to find your flowers drooping amidst the growing season or failing to bloom vigorously in the next season.

  • The lack of regular pruning reduces air circulation due to the overcrowded branches and leaves that prevent it.
  • Similarly, overcrowded plants may compete for nutrients and water, reducing the energy required to maintain healthy blooms.
Therefore, you should regularly prune the plant in the growing season to transfer energy from growing stems and leaves to flowers.

Likewise, deadhead the plant at the end of the flowering season to prevent them from producing seeds.

9. Wrong Soil pH

Most flowering plants, including tropical shrubs, do best in soil with a pH ranging from 5.2 to 7.5.

Remember, different nutrients are available to plants at different pH levels. For example, at a pH of 6.5-7, nutrients like phosphorus, potassium, and calcium are most available.

If the soil pH is too low or too high, the nutrients may not be available in sufficient quantities, leading to premature flower drooping.

Moreover, the wrong soil pH can make nutrients such as iron or manganese toxic to plants and affect the microbial activity in the soil.

Therefore, the only solution is to identify your flower’s pH requirement, check potting soil’s pH using a soil pH meter, and correct it accordingly.

  • Acidic soil: Add lime or crushed limestone to neutralize the acidity. The lime needed will depend on the pH level and soil type.
  • Alkaline soil: Add sulfur to make the soil more acidic. The amount of sulfur needed will depend on the pH level and soil type.

From Editorial Team

Conclusion!

Sometimes, physical damage caused by strong wind or rain may also invite drooping flowers.

However, you need not worry about it, as the flowers will revert to their original state once the weather improves.

Most importantly, drooping flowers in late summer or fall are expected due to natural aging and are not necessarily a cause for concern.

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