Brown leaf tips
Dry, brown, crisp tips on the leaves of houseplants, caused by dry air, uneven watering or a build-up of salts and minerals.
Also known as: Tip burn, Crispy leaf tips
Symptoms and identification
The tips and sometimes the edges of leaves turn brown and dry, often with a yellow band between the dead and green tissue. The rest of the plant looks normal, and the browning slowly spreads along with new growth.
Causes
The most common causes are low humidity, tap water high in fluoride, chlorine or salts, over-fertilising, letting the soil dry out completely between waterings, and overwatering that damages roots.
Organic treatment
Trim the brown tips with clean scissors, following the natural leaf shape and leaving a thin brown margin so you do not cut into healthy tissue. Flush the soil with clean water to wash out salts.
Prevention
Water evenly, using rainwater or tap water left to stand overnight where the supply is hard, flush the pot every few months, feed lightly, and raise humidity around plants that like it by grouping them or using a pebble tray.
Chemical treatment (use with care)
No chemical treatment is needed. Correct watering, water quality and humidity to stop new browning.