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Plant problems

Leggy plants: causes and fixes

A leggy plant has long, thin stems with wide gaps between the leaves, as if it's stretching. Nearly always it is, reaching for light it isn't getting enough of. Too much nitrogen, crowding and a lack of pruning make it worse.

leggy growth on a plant
Photo: Rosser1954, CC BY-SA 4.0

Check these first

  1. Look at which way the stems lean. Growth reaching toward a window means the plant wants more light.
  2. Compare old and new growth. New leaves that are pale, small and spaced far apart along the stem point to low light.
  3. Think about fertilizer. Frequent feeding, especially with a high-nitrogen fertilizer, pushes fast, soft growth.
  4. Check the spacing. Seedlings and plants packed close together stretch to compete for light.

Most common causes

The causes our guides to 1,498 plants name most often.

  1. Insufficient light

    Named for 1,489 plants

    How 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 brighter location with more indirect light. Rotate the pot every week to ensure even growth on all sides.

  2. Lack of pruning

    Named for 546 plants

    How to tell: The plant is tall and sparse but otherwise healthy.

    What to do: Trim back the long stems by one third to encourage bushier growth. Do this in early spring to help the plant fill out.

  3. Overcrowding

    Named for 242 plants

    How to tell: The plant looks crowded and the leaves are competing for space, causing them to grow tall and thin. This happens when the pot is too small or the clump is too dense.

    What to do: Divide the plant in the spring when it is dormant. Repot the divisions into fresh soil to give them room to grow.

  4. Excessive nitrogen

    Named for 228 plants

    How to tell: The plant is growing very fast but is weak and floppy.

    What to do: Stop using high nitrogen fertilizers. Switch to a balanced, low strength fertilizer if needed.

  5. High temperatures

    Named for 128 plants

    How to tell: The plant grows rapidly and tall but looks weak.

    What to do: Keep the plant in a cooler environment. Avoid placing it near heat vents or radiators.

  6. Excessive fertilizer

    Named for 79 plants

    How to tell: The plant grows very fast but the stems are weak and floppy.

    What to do: Stop fertilizing for the rest of the season. Use a balanced, slow release fertilizer only in early spring if needed.

  7. Improper pruning

    Named for 32 plants

    How to tell: The plant has grown tall and sparse without branching out. This often happens if the main stem is never trimmed to encourage side growth.

    What to do: Prune the top of the main stem to encourage the plant to grow bushier. Do this during the growing season to help the plant recover quickly.

  8. Inconsistent watering

    Named for 22 plants

    How to tell: The plant looks weak and the stems are not standing upright. This often happens when the soil dries out too much between waterings.

    What to do: Stick to a strict watering schedule, keeping the soil evenly moist. Do not let the top inch dry out for more than a day.

Not sure what you're seeing? Try the free photo health check.

Plants most prone to this

Our guides rate it likely for 765 plants. Here are 48 of them, A to Z.

Find your plant

Every plant guide links to its own pages on that plant's problems. Find yours in the A to Z:

Other symptoms

Pest, disease and disorder guides

How often do the guides name each cause, across every symptom? See what goes wrong with plants, counted.

The causes on this page are drawn from our plant guides, which are generated with AI from each plant's care profile. They are general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.