Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Feel the top inch of soil to see if it is dry.
- Check the air humidity levels in your room.
- Inspect the pot to ensure it has drainage holes.
Likely causes
Low Humidity
Most likelyHow to tell: The tips turn crispy and brown while the rest of the leaf looks healthy. This happens when the air in your home is very dry.
What to do: Place your plant on a tray filled with pebbles and water to boost local humidity. You can also mist the leaves lightly every morning.
Underwatering
PossibleHow to tell: The soil feels bone dry and pulls away from the edges of the pot. The plant may also look slightly wilted.
What to do: Water your Celosia thoroughly until water drains out of the bottom holes. Ensure you are checking the soil every 2 to 4 days and watering when the top inch feels dry.
Find out what's wrong with your silver cockscomb
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
If the browning spreads rapidly to the center of the leaves, it could be a sign of a more serious issue. A few dry tips on older leaves are normal as the plant grows.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy and maintain good airflow around the plant.
Keep your silver cockscomb healthy from here
Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked. Identification and a health check are free.
Questions people ask
- Should I cut off the brown tips?
- Yes, you can trim the brown parts with clean scissors to keep the plant looking tidy. Just be careful not to cut into the healthy green tissue.
- Does my Celosia need a humidifier?
- It is not strictly necessary, but it helps if your home is very dry. A pebble tray is usually enough to keep this plant happy.
More problems with Silver cockscomb
- Why are there dark spots on my Silver cockscomb leaves?
- What are these tiny bugs on my Silver cockscomb?
- Why is my Celosia drooping?
- Why is my Celosia getting so leggy?
- Why is my Silver cockscomb not producing flowers?
- Why are my Celosia's leaves turning yellow?
- Why is my Celosia dropping its leaves?
- How do I know if my Celosia has root rot?
- Why are my Celosia leaves curling?
Back to the Silver cockscomb guide
This article was generated with AI from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.