Almost everyone who has grown a plant – indoors or out, edible or ornamental – has had to face the problem of brown tips on leaves. This is often found on dracaena and spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), although it may appear on many other plants, especially those with long, pointed leaves. The phenomenon is called leaf “tip burn”, and it is not the same as the appearance of one or more brown spots surrounded by yellow halos that may show up on the whole leaf. Those can be symptomatic of plant disease. Brown leaf tips can be unsightly, but they are rarely harmful, unless the dead area on the leaf has become so large it interferes with the life of the plant.
What causes these all-too-common brown tips? The answer is simple; a little lack of water when the leaves were first developing meant that the earliest cells could not grow properly. This does not mean the entire leaf could not grow, only that the first cells produced did not have necessary resources. Those first cells form the leaf tip, which would then be brown. When this occurs on a farm, on crop plants, the farmer knows it is time to check the irrigation.
An occasional slight water shortage will rarely kill a plant, nor does it mean that one is a terrible gardener. It does, however, mean the leaf tips are dead. When an animal is injured, the injury can usually heal. This is, unfortunately, not the case with plants. Once leaf tissue has died, it will not come back to life, although the plant as a whole may flourish.
Given that tip burn is somewhat ubiquitous and not particularly harmful, one might think that gardeners around the world would simply take it for granted and not worry. That is far from the case. Especially when looking at their houseplants, people worry a lot about tip burn. The only way to prevent tip burn is make sure the soil is always kept evenly moist.
It is not difficult to trim off the discolored leaf tip. Unfortunately, as people do trim burnt tips to improve the appearance, they often compound the problem. When removing the discolored part, it is important not to cut into the section of the leaf that is green, still alive. When the green area is damaged while attempting to remove that dead section, the plant senses injury and responds by killing off more tissue. It can become a vicious cycle: a brown leaf tip appears, and as it is removed, healthy tissue is injured, so more of the leaf dies.
If the problem is not tip burn, but leaf spots surrounded by yellow rings, then it may be serious. The Cooperative Extension Master Gardener help line can offer assistance in determining whether one is dealing with plant issues such as diseases and insect infestations, or something less worrisome, like an environmental problem. When asking for help via email, it can be helpful to attach a few photographs of the problem and the plant as a whole.
Dr. Angela O’Callaghan is the Social Horticulture Specialist for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Contact ocallaghana@unce.unr.edu or 702-257-5581.
