Crispy brown leaf tips are one of the most common winter complaints in UK homes, and the cause is usually the heating rather than anything you did wrong. Warm air from radiators is dry air, and many popular houseplants come from humid forests. The good news: the fix is usually simple, and once you sort the cause, new leaves come through clean.
If the browning comes with soft yellow leaves and wet compost, it is more likely a watering problem. See Overwatering or not enough light? first.
What crispy tips look like, and who gets them
Tips and edges turn papery and brown, often with a thin yellow line where the brown meets the green. It tends to start on the newest leaves of humidity lovers such as calatheas, ferns (especially maidenhair and Boston), spider plants, peace lilies, dracaenas and palms. Tougher plants like snake plants and ZZ plants rarely mind.
The usual causes in a heated UK home
| Cause | Clues | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dry air from central heating | Starts when the heating comes on in autumn; worst in living rooms and bedrooms | Raise humidity around the plant (see below) |
| Radiator or heater close by | Browning on the side facing the heat | Move it at least an arm's length from the radiator |
| Compost drying out completely | Compost pulls away from the pot; pot feels very light | Soak thoroughly, drain, then water when the top is dry |
| Feed or mineral build-up | White crust on the compost or pot rim; heavy feeding | Flush the pot with plenty of water; feed less |
| Hard tap water on fussy plants | Calatheas and some ferns, in hard-water areas | Try rainwater or filtered water that has stood overnight |
| Cold draughts | Near a door, a trickle vent, or cold glass at night | Move away from the draught and off icy sills |
Check the air, not just the plant
It is hard to guess humidity. A small digital thermometer and hygrometer shows humidity and temperature with a min and max memory, so by morning you know the driest and coldest the room got overnight. Leave it beside the plant for a few days, then try it in the kitchen or bathroom. Rooms with steam often read noticeably higher, and they can be a better winter home for a fern.
Easy ways to raise humidity
- Group plants together. Leaves give off moisture, so a cluster holds a little more humid air than one plant alone.
- Pebble tray. Fill a saucer or tray with clay pebbles, add water to just below the top, and stand the pot on the pebbles so the base never sits in water.
- A small humidifier. For a collection of fussy plants this makes the biggest difference. The Aqualine Mini One holds 2.3 litres, runs for up to 10 hours per fill and switches itself off when empty. For a bigger plant corner, the Aqualine Midi Mist holds 4.5 litres and runs for up to 16 hours. Browse more in Climate Control.
- Misting feels nice, but the effect lasts minutes. It is fine as a treat, not as the main fix.
Radiators, curtains and cold glass
A windowsill above a radiator is the hardest spot in a UK home: hot dry air rises past the leaves by day, then the glass gets cold at night once the curtains are closed. If that is the only bright spot, move the plant to a shelf or stand an arm's length away, and add light if needed. Our best houseplants for a dark flat guide has tougher plants for those spots, and Plant Lighting helps when the bright window is the problem spot.
Should I cut off the brown tips?
You can, purely for looks. Brown tissue will not turn green again. Use clean, sharp scissors such as Grow Tools Quick Snips and follow the natural shape of the leaf, leaving a hair of brown so you do not cut into healthy green. Judge the fix by the new leaves over the next few weeks, not the old ones.
Safety with children and pets
- Stand humidifiers on a flat, stable surface where they cannot be knocked, with the cable tucked out of reach.
- Point the mist at the plants, not at wooden furniture, walls or electrics, and empty and rinse the tank as the instructions say.
- Keep the hygrometer on a shelf rather than the floor if you have a curious dog or toddler.
FAQ
What humidity do houseplants like?
It depends on the plant. Many tropical foliage plants are happier when the air is not very dry, while succulents and cacti cope well with dry rooms. A hygrometer reading before and after you make a change tells you whether it is working.
Why do the tips go brown only in winter?
Central heating dries the air from autumn to spring, and radiators add direct heat to nearby leaves. In summer, windows are open and the heating is off, so the air is usually softer.
Can I put a humidifier next to a plant light?
Keep them a sensible distance apart and aim the mist away from the light and its plug. A steady room humidity is the goal, not wet leaves.
Is it a pest?
Dry air also encourages spider mite. Look under leaves with a phone torch for fine webbing or speckling. If you see it, isolate the plant and wipe the leaves, as in our plant triage guide.
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