Can I trim the brown tips off?

You can trim the brown parts with clean scissors. Just be careful not to cut into the healthy green tissue.

Are brown tips a sign of pests?

Sometimes spider mites cause damage that looks like browning. Check the undersides of the leaves for tiny webs or small moving dots.

Firecracker flower: brown tips, causes and fixes

Check these first

Feel the air around the plant for dryness.
Check if you are using tap water with high mineral content.
Look for spider mites on the undersides of leaves.

Likely causes

Low Humidity
Most likely
How to tell: The tips of the leaves turn brown and crispy while the rest of the leaf remains green.
What to do: Place your plant on a pebble tray filled with water or use a humidifier nearby. Misting the leaves occasionally can also help.
Mineral Buildup
Possible
How to tell: Brown tips appear even when the plant is watered correctly, often due to salts in tap water.
What to do: Try using filtered or distilled water for a few weeks to see if the browning stops. You can also flush the soil with water to wash out excess minerals.

Find out what's wrong with your firecracker flower

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.

When to worry

Minor browning on the very tips is usually just a cosmetic issue. Worry if the brown patches start spreading toward the center of the leaf.

Stopping it coming back

Maintain consistent humidity levels and use filtered water if your tap water is hard.

Keep your firecracker flower 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.

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Questions people ask

Can I trim the brown tips off?: You can trim the brown parts with clean scissors. Just be careful not to cut into the healthy green tissue.
Are brown tips a sign of pests?: Sometimes spider mites cause damage that looks like browning. Check the undersides of the leaves for tiny webs or small moving dots.

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