# Is it normal for leaves to droop at night?

> Yes, cannabis leaves commonly droop or lower during the dark period and lift again within an hour or two of lights-on. Daily leaf movement is normal in many plants. Worry only if the leaves are still drooping 2 hours after lights-on, or droop during the day: then lift the pot to check for over- or underwatering, and check the roots if the pot is a normal weight.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/answers/leaves-droop-at-night.html
- Topic: Diagnosis · Type: Troubleshooting
- Evidence: Grower practice · Status: Draft: awaiting expert review
- Full article: [Drooping cannabis: overwatering vs underwatering](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/diagnosis/drooping-overwatering-vs-underwatering.md)
- Also asked as: Why do my leaves droop when the lights go off? | Leaves drooping in the dark period | Night droop: normal or not? | Plant looks sad at lights-off
- Updated: 2026-10-31 · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay Knowledge Base (genetixbay.com/knowledge)"

## Short answer

Yes. Cannabis leaves commonly droop or lower in the dark period and lift again within an hour or two of lights-on. Worry only if they are still drooping 2 hours after lights-on, or droop in the day. Then lift the pot and check the watering and roots. *Grower practice*.

## Why

Plants move their leaves on a daily rhythm. Many species lower or fold their leaves at night and raise them by day [1], and cannabis leaves often settle in the dark and rise after lights-on. The reasons are still debated [1]. In practice it is harmless.

A plant that droops by day is different. [Overwatered](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/overwatering.md) roots run short of oxygen and the leaves droop thick and firm. [Underwatered](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/underwatering.md) plants go limp and papery.

Some daytime wilting points to the roots. A plant that wilts in a moist pot of normal weight, especially one plant at a time, fits [Pythium](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/pythium.md) or [Fusarium root rot](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/fusarium-wilt.md) [2] or Fusarium wilt [3].

## The numbers

| Observation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Leaves lower after lights-off, up by lights-on + 1–2 h | Normal |
| Still drooping 2 h after lights-on, heavy pot | Overwatered |
| Still drooping, very light pot | Underwatered; recovers 30–120 min after watering |
| Wilting in a normal-weight pot | Check the roots for rot [2] |
| Brown streaks inside a cut stem | Possible Fusarium wilt [3] |

## What to do

1. Look again 1–2 hours after lights-on. If the leaves have lifted, you're done.
2. If not, lift the pot and compare it with one freshly watered.
3. Heavy: let it [dry back](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/dryback.md) until it is about 40–50% lighter before watering.
4. Light: water slowly in two passes to light [runoff](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/runoff.md).
5. Normal weight but still wilting: slide the plant out or pull the [net pot](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/net-pot.md) and check that the roots are white and firm.
6. In hydro, check the air pump and keep the solution at 18–22 °C (64–72 °F).

## Common mistakes

- Watering at lights-off because the plant "[looks](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bag-appeal.md) thirsty".
- Opening the tent in the dark period to check on it.
- Treating every droop as thirst.
- Ignoring daytime drooping because "it does that at night".

## Related

- Full article: [Drooping cannabis: overwatering vs underwatering](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/diagnosis/drooping-overwatering-vs-underwatering.md)
- Answers: [praying leaves](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/answers/praying-leaves.md) · [water at lights-on or off?](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/answers/water-at-lights-on-or-off.md) · [how often to water](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/answers/how-often-to-water.md)
- Article: [root browning in hydro](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/diagnosis/root-browning-hydro.md)
- Terms: [overwatering](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/overwatering.md) · [underwatering](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/underwatering.md)

## Follow-up questions

**Why does my plant droop right after lights-off?** A cannabis plant lowering its leaves right after lights-off is usually normal daily leaf movement, as photosynthesis and transpiration slow in the dark. It is common across many plant species. If the plant also droops by day, or the leaves look limp and papery or thick and swollen, check pot weight and roots instead of assuming it is the night rhythm.

**How long after lights-on should leaves perk up?** Cannabis leaves that lowered overnight should lift within roughly 1–2 hours of lights-on, according to grower practice. If they are still drooping after 2 hours, lift the pot: a heavy pot points to overwatering, a very light one to thirst. A normal-weight pot with a still-wilting plant points to root problems such as rot.

**Should I water if my plant droops at night?** Do not water a cannabis plant just because it droops at night. Night drooping is usually normal leaf movement, and watering at lights-off keeps the pot wet through the dark when the plant uses little water, raising humidity and root-rot risk. Check the pot weight the next morning and water then if it is genuinely light.

## Sources

1. Minorsky PV, 2019. The functions of foliar nyctinasty: a review and hypothesis. Biological Reviews 94(1):216–229. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12444
2. Punja ZK, Rodriguez G., 2018. Fusarium and Pythium species infecting roots of hydroponically grown marijuana (Cannabis sativa L.) plants. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 40(4):498-513. https://doi.org/10.1080/07060661.2018.1535466
3. Utah State University Extension. Fusarium Wilt (hemp). https://extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_ag/hemp-fusarium-wilt