Video narration
Your houseplant's leaves hang low, and the soil feels dry. You look at it and think: water, right? But inside, water has a journey to make. It must reach the roots, which take it up and send it through the plant toward the leaves, helping them stay firm and keep working. When the soil holds too little water, the plant can't draw in enough to match its needs. Even with water nearby, the roots may not take up enough. That mismatch is water stress: the plant's supply can't keep up with what it needs. The leaves can droop as it struggles to function. But drooping is a warning, not a diagnosis. It tells you the plant is under strain, not what caused it. Remember, a drooping houseplant may be under water stress when it can't take up enough water to keep its leaves working.