Wilting

Wilting is a common symptom of too much heat or insufficient water, but other factors can result in wilting.

Wilting Red Osier dogwood (Kate Russell)

​In healthy plants, water is used to hold them upright. Plants conserve water by closing their water stress. Plants fall over if they do not contain enough water. Surprisingly, too much water can cause the same symptoms.


Understanding the root cause of wilting can help you correct the situation and provide the proper treatment. Here are some other common causes of wilting:

• Bacterial wilt diseases—Wilting from bacterial infection is caused by Clavibacter, Erwinia, and Xanthomonas in tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, and cruciferous vegetables, respectively.
• Boring insects—Some boring insects, such as squash bugs, may damage vascular tissue, indirectly causing wilt.
• Fungal girdling—The Sclerontina and Botrytis fungi attack and girdle stems, which can cause wilting.
• Fungal wilt diseases--Fusarium wilt, onion white rot, and Verticillium wilt are just a few fungal diseases that block vascular tissues. These blockages prevent water from reaching stems and leaves, causing plants to wilt and, ultimately, die.
• Natural toxins—Some plants, such as walnut trees, produce toxins that cause other plants to wilt. Tomatoes are particularly susceptible to this form of territorial chemical warfare.
• Nematodes—Nematodes feed on root tissues, causing wilt.
• Transplant shock—Seedlings transplanted too early in their development into an unforgiving environment will often exhibit wilting. Underdeveloped root systems cannot absorb water and nutrients as readily as mature plant structures.
• Unnatural toxins—Many chemicals, especially herbicides, can cause wilting.

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Once the cause of wilting has been identified, treatments or solutions can be found.