Stems too long, leaves too few: why is my plant getting ugly?

We all have an ugly plant at home. A bald philodendron, a silver pothos with long, leafless stems or a Yucca with an endless trunk. But an ugly plant doesn't have to be a dead plant! We'll explain why your plant is withering, balding or growing upwards, and how to remedy the situation.

Like us, plants change over time. And not all age with the same elegance.

After a few years, the leaves at the base of the plant fall off and the stem appears. The plant then loses its compact habit, giving the impression of "growing upwards". This is the case, for example, with chinese coin plant (Pilea peperomioides), Dracaena or anthurium andreanum.

This natural process is inevitable. However, if you think your plant is really too ugly with its stem showing, you can take action when repotting it. Remove all leaf remains and stipules from the base of the stem and bury it. Not only will it no longer be visible, but it will also produce new roots. If your plant produces offshoots, you can also leave them in the pot to hide the bare stem and densify the vegetation.

When the bald part of the stipe or stem is too large to be hidden or buried, all that's left is to take cuttings from the head. Cut your stem or trunk just below the first leaves to make a cutting. Keep the mother plant too. It will recover quickly and produce new leaves.

Indoor plants can also suffer from wilting. Their stems grow longer and thinner. They produce fewer leaves and the internodes increase. To top it all off, new shoots are less colorful and smaller than usual. This phenomenon occurs in all plants, but is particularly noticeable in plants grown in suspension, such as misery (Tradescantia zebrina), and succulents.

Shrivelling is due to a lack of sunlight. In fact, etiolated stems tend to grow in the direction of windows. To remedy this, you need to bring your plant closer to a source of light. And don't forget to rotate it regularly so that all parts get the same amount of light. And if natural light isn't enough, you can always invest in a grow lamp.

Has your once plentiful Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) lost all its leaves in just a few days? It could be an attack by mites, scale insects or aphids. These insects suck sap from plants to feed. As a result, the stem sags, the leaves fall off and the plant becomes ugly.

The best way to prevent parasites and pests is to ensure good growing conditions for your plant. Consult the Monstera maintenance guides for recommended exposure and watering frequency. Don't forget to air your home regularly, especially in winter, to renew the air.

Have you examined your plant and discovered red spiders, thrips or whiteflies? Then you'll need to treat your plant. But don't worry! Most of the time, a good shower and a spray of Marseille soap will do the trick.

Potted plants don't have access to the same resources as their outdoor counterparts. After a few years, their growth may slow down, their leaves turn yellow or drop off. The plant loses its density and looks like a plucked bird. Flowering can also become sparse or non-existent.

To prevent balding, fertilize your plant during its growth period. Use a fertilizer suited to its needs (cactus and succulent fertilizer, flowering plant fertilizer, green plant fertilizer, etc.) and respect the doses recommended by the manufacturer.

And even if you do fertilize your plant, remember to repot it regularly to renew the potting soil. Is your Monstera deliciosa too big to handle? Replace repotting with resurfacing to give it a new substrate.