Leggy Zebra Plant

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A zebra plant gets its name from the beautiful white strips on its leaves. It can be a show stopper plant and can really make people stop and stare. When it’s healthy, it looks vibrant and bushy but when it’s not doing so well it can look dull and can become leggy. So what can we do about a leggy zebra plant? What causes it? How can we prevent it and what can we do when the plant

Not Enough Light

The main cause of a leggy zebra plant is that it isn’t receiving sufficient light. Zebra plants do well in bright indirect light. They’re used to growing under the canopy of other plants so direct sunlight can be a bit too much for their leaves. However, if the light they receive is too dim or if they are too far from a light source they will start to become leggy as their stems elongate and they search for light.

If you have a leggy zebra plant then try moving them to a brighter spot without putting them into direct sunlight. If you struggle to do this then you could try adding a sheer curtain to a south facing window so they get the added light but are protected from the sun. If you live somewhere that is often overcast and doesn’t receive many hours of sunlight then you could probably put this plant directly in a window, but be careful on the odd sunny day as you may want to pull your plant back a bit.

There Is No Natural Light In My Home

If you live somewhere with very low light or your house just doesn’t have enough windows or bright spots then don’t worry! It’s not just natural light that these plants thrive on. Instead of using natural light you can use grow lights. Grow lights are a great alternative to natural light and are used by professional plant growers and hobbyists alike. The great thing about grow lights is that you can use them on several plants at once and they can really make a difference to the rate of growth your plant puts out and to the overall bushiness of the plant. Amazon have a fantastic selection of grow lights to choose from. If you’re short on light then this could make all the difference to your growing success.

Can I Trim My Leggy Zebra Plant

Yes you can trim a leggy zebra plant. If you move your plant to a brighter spot this will help prevent further legginess from occurring but it won’t undo the damage already done. If you don’t like the appearance of your plant then the only thing you can really do it to trim it. Ideally you would do this during spring or summer so the plant could recover through the growing season, however with indoor heating and grow lights you might be able to get away with trimming it in the autumn or even winter (though this isn’t preferred).

When it is time to trim your leggy zebra plant make sure you use a pair of sharp clean scissors, and where you cut down to is where new growth will appear from so think about where you want leaves to start growing before you start trimming. If you notice any black then cut this away as this is rot and can spread down the stems of your plant.

A leggy zebra plant isn’t the look you want but it’s not the end of the world and it can be fixed. Just make sure to get on top of it sooner rather than later so you’re not trimming half your plant away.

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