Aluminium Plants are one of the fastest growing houseplants out there which can actually make them a little tricky to care for. Not only will they break through your favourite pots if not repotted often enough, but it will very quickly become known if there are issues that are causing your Aluminium Plant to start dying on you.
Luckily we are strong believers in never giving up when it comes to dying plants as we have seen plants be revived from almost nothing. In this article, we will go through each of the different factors that may be why your Aluminium Plant is dying, as well as how to treat and prevent the issues.
Overwatering can cause your Aluminium Plant to start dying
Overwatering is the most common issue that kills Aluminium Plants and pretty much all other houseplants so this tends to be our first port of call. The other reason why this should be your first stop is that overwatering is a very quick killer of plants so you want to make sure to spot this one early.
The reason that overwatering is such an issue for Aluminium Plants is that it can quickly cause the roots to start to rot. This starves your plant of needed moisture, oxygen and nutrients and will cause it to start dying.
If you think you may have overwatered your Aluminium Plant then you must inspect the soil first before making any changes to your routine. You want to make sure that this is definitely the problem as the same symptoms can occur for various things. Carefully take your plant out of the pot and inspect the roots and soil. If the potting mix is soggy and clumpy then it is most likely overwatering that is causing your Aluminium Plant to start dying.
To solve the issue and revive your dying Aluminium Plant, remove and replace all of the potting mix if it’s still waterlogged. Don’t wait for it to dry out as this just risks more damage being done to an already dying and sensitive plant. If the roots are badly damaged then trim away the worst affected areas. This will encourage your plant to grow new roots and not waste precious energy trying to keep the rotting ones alive.
A dying Aluminium Plant can also indicate underwatering
If your Aluminium Plant has developed really crispy leaves, then you may have been underwatering it for a while which is why it’s dying. Aluminium Plants like their soil to be slightly moist and will really struggle if they have to go a long time between waterings. This is why we recommend a little but often watering method.
Confirm the issue by checking the moisture levels in the soil before making any changes to your care routine.
To prevent the issue long-term, it’s a good habit to get into to check the moisture levels in the soil using either a finger, chopstick or the lifting method (though only do this with smaller plants). This will mean you can keep an eye on how much water it needs and avoid your Aluminium Plant dying on you again!
Your Aluminium Plant could be dying due to intense sunlight
If your Aluminium Plant’s leaves have developed brown or yellow patches, it may also be dying because it is getting too much direct sunlight. This can cause the leaves to burn, from which they will not be able to recover.
Whilst Aluminium Plants like areas with bright light, it needs to be indirect. This is especially important during summer when the sun is a lot more intense and is out for longer each day. It can be a good idea to get into a routine of moving your Aluminium Plant depending on the season so that you are maximising the amount of light in winter but reducing exposure to direct sunlight in summer.
A lack of sunlight might also be the issue
On the other side of the scale, your Aluminium Plant could also be dying due to not receiving enough light. Symptoms of this include leggy growth, stunted growth and leaf drop. This can be quite an easy fix as you need to find a good spot for your Aluminium Plant with more natural sunlight.
If you’re struggling to find a spot with better lighting, it could be worth looking into and investing in a quality grow light. These are great investments for all plant parents as not only are they great for supplementing light during winter but they can be used to cultivate young cuttings in your propagation projects.
Low humidity levels could be causing your dying Aluminium Plant
If your Aluminium Plant has developed brown spots or edges on the leaves then it could be dry air that is causing it to start dying. Although we could never reach a humidity level anything like the tropics (and even if we could, we definitely wouldn’t want to live in it), we can increase the humidity a little and your Aluminium Plant will love you for it.
Here are a few simple ways to increase the humidity and prevent your Aluminium Plant from dying:
Your plant will love it if you get into the habit of misting your plant.
Use a spray bottle to mist the leaves a few times a week. This also gets rid of any dust on the leaves which is a real added bonus!
If you’re into doing a little DIY, then building a pebble tray can really help your Aluminium Plant.
Fill up a tray of pebbles and fill halfway with water. Place your plant on top and the water will evaporate around it, increasing the humidity level.
Another great way to increase the humidity without spending any extra money is to move to the bathroom or kitchen.
Because of showering and cooking, both of these rooms often have a slightly higher natural humidity level.
Get a humidifier
If the problem is progressing quite rapidly, then the most reliable way to increase the humidity and prevent your Aluminium Plant from dying would be to invest in a humidifier.
Those are the most common causes of a dying Aluminium Plant. When it comes to reviving your plant, catching the issue as early as possible is the number one thing that will help your plant on the road to recovery. This is why we strongly advise plant parents to regularly check up on their houseplants to spot signs of unhappiness before they’ve really taken over your plant.
To learn more about what care your plant needs to prevent it from dying, check out our Aluminium Plant care guide.
