⚠ MinorUpward-curling leaves � most often a harmless physiological response to heat or watering stress.
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Leaves
Leaf Curl on Tomato Plants
Commonly affects: Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato)
Leaves curl upward along their length, sometimes becoming slightly leathery. New growth may emerge already curled. The plant otherwise continues growing, though the distorted foliage looks stressed.
Potential Causes
- 1Physiological leaf roll from heat stress, inconsistent watering, or heavy pruning � the most common, harmless cause
- 2Herbicide drift from nearby lawn or garden treatments, which causes more severe, twisted distortion
- 3Aphid or whitefly feeding causing localised curling
- 4Viral infection (such as tomato yellow leaf curl virus) spread by whiteflies, usually accompanied by yellowing and stunted growth
Solution Steps
- 1Check soil moisture and water deeply if dry � physiological leaf curl often resolves once watering is consistent.
- 2Inspect for aphids or whiteflies on leaf undersides, and treat with insecticidal soap if present.
- 3If curling is severe, twisted, and accompanied by stunted new growth or yellowing, suspect viral infection and remove the plant to prevent spread via whiteflies.
- 4Avoid removing more than a third of the plant's foliage at once when pruning.
Prevention Tip
Water consistently and avoid heavy one-time pruning � most tomato leaf curl is a normal physiological response to stress rather than disease, and resolves once the underlying stress is corrected.
