Brown or crispy leaf tips: causes and fixes

Brown, crispy tips and scorched edges: it's the most common houseplant problem, especially in winter. Rarely serious, but it tells you something about the air, the water or the watering.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Air that's too dry

In a heated home, humidity often drops below 40%, far from the tropical forest most houseplants come from. The leaf tip, furthest from the roots, dries first. Plants with fine foliage are the most sensitive: Calathea orbifolia, Prayer plant, Boston fern and Maidenhair fern.

To give them back some humidity:

• keep them away from radiators and warm air vents;
• group your plants together: they create a slightly more humid pocket of air;
• stand the pot on a tray of clay pebbles kept wet, without the bottom of the pot touching the water;
• for the fussiest, a humidifier makes the real difference.

Misting pleases the plants that like it, but its effect only lasts a few minutes: it doesn't replace these steps. And a bright bathroom makes an excellent refuge: here are the plants that thrive there.

Irregular watering

A plant forgotten for two weeks, then drowned to make up for it, suffers twice: the fine roots die during the drought, then rot in the excess water. The leaf tips pay the price. A regular rhythm is better, checking the soil before watering. The watering guide explains how.

Limescale, chlorine and fertiliser

Tap water and fertiliser leave mineral salts that build up in the soil. The plant pushes them to the tips of its leaves, which burn. The telltale sign: a white crust on the soil or on the rim of the pot. Some plants are particularly sensitive: Dragon tree, Ti plant, Spider plant and Calathea orbifolia.

• Stick to the recommended dose of fertiliser, or even half of it: a houseplant grows slowly.
• Two or three times a year, flush the soil: water for a long time, until water runs freely out of the hole, then let it drain.
• Scrape off the white crust and replace it with a little fresh potting mix.
• For sensitive plants, use rainwater or filtered water.

Sunburn

Dry, beige or brown patches in the middle of leaves facing the window: that's a burn. It happens in summer behind south-facing glass, or when a plant is put out in the sun without getting used to it first. Move the plant away from the glass or filter the light with a sheer curtain. Burnt leaves will stay marked, but new ones will grow healthy.

What if the brown patches are soft?

Soft brown patches that spread, sometimes with a yellow halo, have nothing to do with dry air: they're a sign of too much water or disease. Water less often, remove the affected leaves, avoid wetting the foliage and keep the plant away from the others. The yellow leaves guide explains how to check the roots.

Trimming brown tips neatly

A brown part will never turn green again, but you can trim it so the leaf stays good-looking. Use clean, sharp scissors, and cut following the natural shape of the leaf, to a point if it's pointed. Leave a thin brown edge: cutting into the green creates a new wound, which will brown in turn.

If the new leaves stay healthy, you've won: you've found the cause.

This advice is for houseplants in a temperate climate. Every home is different: trust your plant too, and the soil under your finger.