Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Feel the top inch of soil for dryness.
- Check the humidity levels in your room.
- Inspect the pot for proper drainage holes.
Likely causes
Low Humidity
Most likelyHow to tell: The tips turn crisp and brown while the rest of the blade stays green. This happens often in dry indoor air or during hot summer spells.
What to do: Mist the foliage with water every few days to increase local humidity. You can also place the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water to create a humid microclimate.
Underwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The soil feels bone dry and the grass blades look dull or shriveled. The browning starts at the very ends and works its way down.
What to do: Water your grass thoroughly every 3 to 7 days when the top inch of soil feels dry. Ensure water drains completely from the bottom of the pot to avoid standing water.
Find out what's wrong with your wavy hair-grass
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
It is normal for a few older blades to brown as the plant grows. Worry if the browning spreads rapidly across the entire clump.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the soil consistently moist and maintain moderate humidity levels around the plant.
Wavy hair-grass: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your wavy hair-grass 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.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
Get the app · Or check it from a photo now, free
Questions people ask
- Should I trim the brown tips off?
- Yes, you can trim the brown tips with clean scissors to keep the plant looking tidy. It will not hurt the grass.
- Does tap water cause brown tips?
- Sometimes the minerals in tap water can build up. If you suspect this, try using filtered or rainwater for a few weeks.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Wavy hair-grass
Back to the Wavy hair-grass guide
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.