Pocket Botanist
Check these first
- Observe how much light the plant gets daily.
- Check if the plant is leaning toward a window.
- Look at the distance between the leaf nodes.
Likely causes
Insufficient light
Most likelyHow to tell: The stems are long and thin with large gaps between the leaves. The plant leans heavily toward the nearest light source.
What to do: Move the plant to a spot with brighter, indirect light. If indoors, place it near a south or west facing window.
Lack of pruning
PossibleHow to tell: The plant is tall but not bushy. It has not been trimmed back to encourage side growth.
What to do: Pinch back the growing tips to encourage the plant to branch out. This creates a fuller, more compact shape.
Find out what's wrong with your smallflower hairy willowherb
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.
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When to worry
Legginess is not fatal, but it makes the plant look sparse. It is normal for the plant to stretch slightly during the darker winter months.
Stopping it coming back
Provide plenty of bright light and pinch back the stems regularly during the growing season.
Smallflower hairy willowherb: leggy growth? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your smallflower hairy willowherb 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 cut back the long stems?
- Yes, pruning actually helps the plant grow back bushier. Use clean scissors to trim the stems back to a leaf node.
- Does it need full sun?
- It thrives in full sun to partial shade. If your plant is leggy, it likely needs more direct light than it is currently receiving.
More problems with smallflower hairy willowherb
- Why does my smallflower hairy willowherb have spots?
- Why is my smallflower hairy willowherb drooping?
- Why are my Epilobium parviflorum leaves turning yellow?
- Why are my Epilobium parviflorum leaf tips turning brown?
- Why is my Epilobium parviflorum dropping leaves?
- Why is my smallflower hairy willowherb not blooming?
- Are there bugs on my smallflower hairy willowherb?
- Is my smallflower hairy willowherb suffering from root rot?
Back to the smallflower hairy willowherb 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.