Why Are My Shrub’s New Leaves Twisted or Curled?

New leaves should normally open flat, evenly colored, and similar in shape to the older foliage. When that fresh growth emerges twisted, curled, puckered, or cupped, it’s natural to wonder whether your shrub has a disease.

Sometimes insects or chemical exposure are responsible. However, distorted new leaves can also develop when tender growth is exposed to sudden changes in temperature, moisture, wind, or sunlight.

We have seen this happen on hydrangeas at Bobby & Lynn’s Plant Farm. Their newly emerging leaves may look cupped or twisted after stressful weather, even though the plant itself remains healthy.

Before spraying anything or adding fertilizer, take a closer look at the pattern of damage. The leaves may be showing you exactly what happened.

Quick Answer

Twisted or curled new leaves on shrubs can be caused by:

• Sudden temperature changes
• Late cold snaps or chilly nights
• Hot, dry weather
• Strong wind
• Inconsistent soil moisture
• Aphids or mites
• Herbicide drift
• Spray damage
• Certain diseases

When only the newest leaves are distorted and the shrub continues producing healthy growth, temporary weather stress is often a likely explanation. Persistent distortion, sticky residue, visible insects, unusual spotting, or continued damage to every new leaf deserves closer investigation.

Quick Leaf-Curl Checklist

Before treating the shrub, check the following:

• Is the damage limited to the newest growth?
• Did temperatures change suddenly?
• Was there a cold night after warm spring weather?
• Has the shrub recently become unusually dry?
• Did the damage appear after a very hot or windy period?
• Are aphids or other insects hiding beneath the leaves?
• Do the leaves feel sticky?
• Was weed killer recently sprayed nearby?
• Are spots, mildew, or darkened stems also present?
• Is the next set of leaves opening normally?

Your answers can help separate temporary environmental damage from a continuing plant problem.

What Different Leaf Symptoms May Mean

This table provides starting points rather than a final diagnosis. More than one stress can affect a shrub at the same time.

1. Sudden Weather Changes Can Distort Tender Leaves

New leaves are softer and more vulnerable than mature foliage. They have not yet developed the tougher outer surface that helps older leaves tolerate heat, sun, wind, and moisture loss.

That means a shrub can begin producing growth during a warm period and then react poorly when conditions suddenly change.

Possible weather triggers include:

• Warm days followed by cold nights
• A late spring frost
• An abrupt increase in temperature
• Drying wind
• Intense afternoon sun
• Rapidly changing soil moisture
• A stretch of unusually humid or rainy weather

The affected leaf may continue growing after part of its tissue has been stressed. Because the damaged and undamaged portions no longer expand evenly, the finished leaf can appear curled, puckered, or twisted.

Young hydrangea leaves are especially quick to lose moisture compared with tougher, waxier foliage. UGA Extension notes that new spring leaves lose water faster while they are young and tender, and hydrangeas tend to wilt faster than plants with thicker leaves.

UGA Extension notes that hydrangeas lose moisture faster than plants with thicker, waxier leaves, especially while their spring growth is still young and tender.

Signs Weather Stress Is the Likely Cause

Weather stress becomes more likely when:

• Damage appeared shortly after unusual weather
• Several leaves of the same age are affected
• Older leaves still look normal
• There are no visible insects
• The leaves are not sticky
• No weed killer was used nearby
• Stems remain healthy
• Later growth begins opening normally

What You Should Do

Continue providing normal care and watch the next set of leaves.

Avoid immediately applying fertilizer, fungicide, or insecticide. Those products will not repair leaves that were distorted by weather and may place additional stress on the shrub.

Damaged leaves usually remain misshapen. The important question is whether the shrub resumes normal growth.

2. Inconsistent Moisture Can Cause Leaves to Curl

A shrub does not have to become completely wilted before moisture stress affects its new growth.

Leaves may curl when the roots cannot replace moisture as quickly as the foliage loses it. Hot temperatures, low humidity, wind, dry soil, and intense sunlight can all increase moisture loss.

Heat-stressed plants may curl or fold their leaves as they attempt to reduce moisture loss. Leaf edges may eventually become brown or crisp when the stress is severe.

Newly planted shrubs are especially vulnerable because their roots have not fully extended into the surrounding soil.

Check the Root Zone Before Watering

Do not judge soil moisture by looking only at the surface.

Push your finger several inches into the soil near the root ball, or carefully use a small hand trowel to inspect the soil. The surface may appear dry while the root zone remains wet. The opposite can also happen when water runs around a dry nursery root ball without soaking through its center.

What You Should Do

When the root zone is dry:

1. Water slowly and deeply.
2. Apply the water around the entire root ball.
3. Allow it time to soak into the soil.
4. Check the soil again before watering another day.
5. Add two to three inches of mulch while keeping it away from the stems.

Avoid maintaining constantly soggy soil. Roots that remain saturated may also struggle to function properly.

The goal is consistent moisture—not permanently wet soil.

3. Cold Damage Can Affect the First Spring Leaves

A shrub may begin growing during an unusually warm stretch and then encounter a late cold snap. Tender leaves can be injured even when older stems and dormant buds survive.

Cold-damaged leaves may look:

• Twisted
• Cupped
• Wrinkled
• Limp
• Water-soaked
• Brown or black around the edges

In some cases, the leaves continue opening but never develop a normal shape.

Signs Cold Weather Caused the Damage

Cold injury is more likely when:

• The distortion appeared soon after a cold night
• Only the earliest new growth is affected
• Damage is worse on exposed portions of the shrub
• Plants in more protected locations look better
• Later leaves emerge normally

What You Should Do

Give the shrub time before pruning.

Some damaged leaves may continue functioning even though they look unattractive. Wait until you can clearly distinguish dead stems from living tissue.

Once new growth resumes, remove only portions that are clearly dead.

4. Heat, Sun, and Wind Can Curl Hydrangea Leaves

Hydrangeas have large, relatively thin leaves that lose moisture quickly. Even well-watered hydrangeas can show temporary stress during hot afternoons, especially when exposed to intense sun or drying wind.

New foliage may cup upward, curl at the edges, or look slightly twisted after a stressful period.

UGA Extension recommends locating hydrangeas where they receive afternoon shade, adequate moisture, and well-drained soil.

Signs Heat or Sun Is Responsible

Look for:

• Curling on the sunniest side of the plant
• Brown or scorched leaf edges
• Afternoon wilting followed by evening recovery
• Dry soil beneath the surface
• Damage that worsened during a hot or windy period
• Better-looking foliage on shaded interior branches

What You Should Do

Water deeply when the soil needs it, refresh the mulch, and avoid adding fertilizer during severe heat.

A temporary shade cloth may help a newly planted shrub during an extreme hot spell. Established shrubs growing in the wrong amount of sunlight may eventually need to be relocated during the appropriate season.

Do not assume afternoon wilting automatically means the hydrangea needs more water. Check the soil first. Hydrangeas can wilt in heat even when their root zones remain adequately moist.

5. Aphids and Other Insects Can Distort New Growth

Sap-feeding insects often target the softest parts of a shrub. Their feeding can interfere with normal leaf development, causing new foliage to curl, twist, or become puckered.

Aphids are among the first insects to check for.

Signs Insects May Be Responsible

Inspect the undersides of curled leaves for:

• Clusters of tiny insects
• Shed insect skins
• Sticky residue
• Ants moving along stems
• Fine webbing
• Pale stippling or speckling
• Distorted stem tips

Sticky residue is an especially useful clue because aphids and some other sap-feeding insects produce honeydew.

What You Should Do

A light infestation may be controlled by spraying the insects off with a firm stream of water.

For persistent infestations, use a product labeled for the plant and pest. Follow the label exactly, and never spray heat-stressed foliage during the hottest part of the day.

Avoid using household dish detergent as a homemade insect spray. UGA Extension warns that strong soaps can burn foliage, particularly when plants are already stressed and temperatures are high.

6. Herbicide Drift Can Produce Severely Twisted Leaves

Weed killers can move beyond the area where they were intended to land. Fine droplets may drift during application, while certain products can also affect nearby roots.

Herbicide injury frequently shows up in the newest growth because actively growing tissue is especially sensitive.

Signs of Possible Herbicide Damage

Watch for:

• Extremely twisted new leaves
• Narrow, strap-like foliage
• Unnatural cupping
• Stunted stem tips
• Distortion mainly on one side
• Damage facing a lawn, driveway, or treated area
• Several unrelated plants showing similar symptoms

Certain herbicides can cause new leaves to become deformed, stunted, curled, or unusually serrated.

The pattern is important. Weather stress may affect many shrubs across an exposed area, while spray drift may be strongest along the edge nearest the application.

What You Should Do

Do not apply additional fertilizer or pesticides in an attempt to force recovery.

Keep the shrub properly watered without saturating the soil, and document the damage with photographs. Make a note of any lawn or weed-control products used nearby, including the application date and weather conditions.

Recovery depends on:

• The product involved
• The amount of exposure
• The shrub species
• The plant’s overall health
• Whether exposure happened once or repeatedly

Severely affected shrubs may benefit from an evaluation by your local Cooperative Extension office.

7. Disease Is Possible, but Curling Alone Is Not Enough to Diagnose It

Gardeners often assume any unusual leaf is diseased. However, most diseases produce additional symptoms beyond simple curling.

Look for:

• Dark or expanding leaf spots
• White or gray powdery growth
• Water-soaked areas
• Blackened stems
• Rapid leaf drop
• Dead shoot tips
• Discoloration spreading from leaf to leaf
• Symptoms that become progressively worse

Leaf-spot diseases often cause recognizable spots or blotches, and many create only minor overall stress unless significant leaf loss occurs repeatedly.

What You Should Do

Avoid treating a shrub for disease based only on distorted leaves.

Take clear photographs of:

• The entire plant
• The affected branch
• The top of the leaf
• The underside of the leaf
• The base and surrounding soil

These details can help a knowledgeable nursery professional or Extension agent make a more accurate diagnosis.

8. Will the Curled Leaves Become Normal Again?

A leaf that developed in a twisted or cupped shape usually stays that way.

Plants cannot reshape mature leaf tissue. Instead, recovery is measured by the condition of the growth that comes afterward.

Good signs include:

• New leaves begin opening normally
• Stems remain green and flexible
• The shrub continues growing
• No additional symptoms appear
• Flower buds continue developing
• Damage remains limited to one period of growth

An unattractive leaf does not always indicate an unhealthy plant.

When later growth looks normal, you can generally leave the distorted leaves in place. They can still contribute energy to the shrub as long as they remain mostly green.

9. Should You Remove Twisted or Curled Leaves?

Removing every damaged leaf can create more stress, particularly on a young or recently planted shrub.

Leave the foliage in place when:

• It is still mostly green
• There are no signs of active disease
• Insects have been controlled
• The plant is producing healthy new growth

Removal may be appropriate when:

• Leaves are completely brown
• The tissue is rotting
• A confirmed disease requires sanitation
• Heavily infested leaves cannot be treated effectively
• Dead foliage is trapping moisture around crowded stems

Use clean pruners and avoid removing a large percentage of the shrub’s foliage at one time.

10. When Should You Be Concerned?

A few misshapen leaves following stressful weather are usually less concerning than distortion that continues for several weeks.

Investigate further when:

• Every new leaf emerges damaged
• The shrub stops growing
• Multiple stems begin dying
• Leaves are sticky or covered with insects
• Dark spots spread rapidly
• New growth becomes unusually narrow
• Several unrelated plants develop the same distortion
• The plant was exposed to weed killer
• The root zone stays constantly wet
• The shrub continues declining despite improved weather

Persistent symptoms suggest that the cause is still present.

What We See Most Often at Our Plant Farm

At Bobby & Lynn’s Plant Farm in Dallas, Georgia, we have seen newly emerging hydrangea leaves become cupped or twisted after weather stress.

Tender hydrangea foliage can respond quickly when conditions change. A warm period may encourage fresh growth, followed by cold nights, dry wind, intense sun, or a sudden change in moisture.

Those first leaves may never look perfect. However, the hydrangea often continues growing and produces normal foliage once conditions become more stable.

The most important lesson is not to panic over a few distorted leaves.

We first look at the timing, weather, soil moisture, and overall pattern. When the stems remain healthy and later growth opens normally, the plant usually needs steady care and time rather than an immediate chemical treatment.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Spraying Before Identifying the Cause

An insecticide will not correct weather damage, and a fungicide will not repair herbicide injury.

Fertilizing a Stressed Shrub

Fertilizer does not straighten damaged leaves. Forcing additional growth while roots are stressed may make the situation worse.

Watering Every Day Without Checking the Soil

Curled leaves do not always mean dry roots. Constantly wet soil can create an entirely different problem.

Removing All the Damaged Foliage

Mostly green leaves can still help support the plant.

Assuming Every Hydrangea Leaf Problem Is a Disease

Weather, moisture, insects, chemical exposure, and physical damage can all affect leaf shape.

What to Do Next

Begin with the simplest explanation.

Think about what the weather did immediately before the leaves became distorted. Check the soil several inches below the surface, inspect beneath the leaves for insects, and consider whether any lawn or weed-control product was used nearby.

Then watch the next flush of growth.

When the new leaves begin opening normally, the shrub was likely responding to a temporary stress. Continued distortion means it is time to investigate insects, root conditions, chemical exposure, or disease more closely.

A few twisted leaves may look alarming, but they do not necessarily mean your shrub is dying. Often, they are simply a record of the difficult weather the plant experienced while those leaves were forming.

For more help identifying hydrangea problems, visit our Hydrangea Help section for practical guidance based on the questions gardeners ask us most often.

You can also download our free All About Hydrangeas eBook for additional information about planting, watering, pruning, and caring for hydrangeas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are only my shrub’s newest leaves curled?

New growth is more tender than mature foliage. It is often the first part of a shrub to react to temperature changes, moisture stress, insects, or herbicide exposure.

Can hot weather cause hydrangea leaves to curl?

Yes. Heat, intense sun, dry soil, and wind can increase moisture loss and cause leaves to cup or curl. Always check soil moisture before assuming the plant needs more water.

Can cold weather twist new hydrangea leaves?

A sudden cold snap can damage leaves while they are opening. The affected foliage may remain distorted even after the plant resumes normal growth.

Will curled shrub leaves flatten out?

Usually not. Once a leaf develops in a distorted shape, it often remains that way. Look at the next set of leaves to determine whether the shrub is recovering.

Should I cut off curled hydrangea leaves?

Leave them in place when they are mostly green and free of active disease or insects. Remove only leaves that are dead, rotting, severely infested, or part of a confirmed disease-management plan.

Does leaf curling mean my shrub needs fertilizer?

Not necessarily. Fertilizer will not repair distorted leaves and may add stress when the actual problem involves weather, water, roots, insects, or chemical exposure.

How can I tell weather damage from herbicide damage?

Weather damage often corresponds with a clear temperature, heat, wind, or moisture event. Herbicide injury may cause more extreme twisting, narrow leaves, stunted growth, and heavier damage on the side facing a recently treated area.