Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Feel the top inch of soil to see if it is dry.
- Look for white crusty deposits on the soil surface.
- Check if your pot has proper drainage holes.
Likely causes
Underwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The soil feels bone dry and the tips of the leaves are crispy and brittle. The browning starts at the very edge and moves inward.
What to do: Water your plant deeply until water runs out of the drainage holes. Ensure you are watering every 7 to 14 days when the top inch of soil is dry.
Mineral buildup
PossibleHow to tell: The leaf tips are brown even though the soil feels moist. You might see a white crust on the surface of the soil.
What to do: Flush the soil by running plain, filtered water through the pot for several minutes. This helps wash away excess salts from tap water or fertilizers.
Find out what's wrong with your mugwort
The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.
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When to worry
A few brown tips are common during hot, dry spells. Worry if the browning spreads to the entire leaf or causes the foliage to drop.
Stopping it coming back
Stick to a consistent watering schedule and use filtered water if your tap water is very hard.
Mugwort: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your mugwort and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.
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Questions people ask
- Should I trim off the brown tips?
- You can trim them for aesthetic reasons, but it will not fix the underlying cause. Use clean scissors to snip just the brown part.
- Is my mugwort dying if it has brown tips?
- Not necessarily. It is usually just a sign that the plant is stressed by its environment and needs a slight adjustment in care.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Mugwort
This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.