Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Feel the soil to see if it is dry and pulling away from the pot.
- Check the location to ensure the plant is not near a drafty window.
- Lift the pot to see if it feels unusually light.
Likely causes
Underwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The leaves look limp and the soil feels bone dry and pulls away from the edges of the pot.
What to do: Give the plant a thorough soak until water runs out of the drainage holes. Make sure to water every 5 to 10 days when the top inch of soil feels dry.
Temperature stress
PossibleHow to tell: It is less common for this plant, but drooping can be caused by cold drafts or being placed too close to a heater. This usually happens if the plant is near an air vent or a drafty window in winter.
What to do: Move the plant to a spot with stable temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep it away from direct airflow from vents or exterior doors.
Find out what's wrong with your coffee plant
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
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When to worry
If the plant perks up within a few hours of watering, it is just thirsty. If it stays limp even after the soil is moist, the roots may be damaged.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the plant in a stable environment away from extreme temperature fluctuations. Stick to your watering routine to keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy.
Coffee plant: drooping? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your coffee plant and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
Get the app · Or check it from a photo now, free
Questions people ask
- Can I mist my coffee plant to help with drooping?
- Misting can help with humidity, but it will not fix a drooping plant that needs water at the roots. Focus on deep watering instead.
- Does my plant need a bigger pot?
- If the roots are circling the bottom of the pot, it might be root bound and unable to hold enough water. Repot it into a container one size larger.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Coffee plant
- Why are my coffee plant's leaf tips turning brown?
- What are these bumps on my coffee plant?
- Why does my coffee plant have brown spots?
- Why are my coffee plant's leaves turning yellow?
- How do I fix root rot on my coffee plant?
- Why is my coffee plant losing leaves?
- Why won't my coffee plant bloom?
- Why is my coffee plant growing so tall and thin?
- Why are my coffee plant's leaves curling?
Back to the Coffee plant guide
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.