Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Feel the soil to see if it is bone dry.
- Examine the branches for sunken or oozing spots.
- Check if the browning is localized to one branch or the whole tree.
Likely causes
Underwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The tips become crispy and brittle to the touch. This happens when the plant cannot pull enough moisture to the ends of its branches.
What to do: Water the plant thoroughly until it drains out the bottom. Maintain a schedule where you water whenever the top inch of soil feels dry.
Cypress Canker
PossibleHow to tell: You will notice sunken, discolored lesions on the branches below the browning tips. This fungal infection girdles the branch, so all the foliage beyond the lesion turns brown and dies.
What to do: Prune away the affected branches well below the visible lesion. Sterilize your shears with alcohol between cuts to prevent spreading the fungus.
Find out what's wrong with your blue cypress
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 you see sunken lesions on the main trunk or multiple branches, the tree is in serious trouble. Isolated brown tips are usually just a minor watering issue.
Stopping it coming back
Avoid overhead watering to keep foliage dry, and keep the plant healthy with proper hydration to resist fungal infections.
Blue cypress: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your blue cypress 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 cut off all the brown tips?
- You can trim them for appearance, but focus on fixing the root cause first. If the browning is caused by canker, you must prune deeply to remove the infection.
- Does low humidity cause brown tips?
- Yes, dry indoor air can cause the tips to crisp up. Try placing the plant on a pebble tray with water to increase local humidity.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Blue cypress
Back to the Blue cypress 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.