Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Feel the soil to see if it is bone dry.
- Check for a white crust on the soil surface.
- Look at your watering schedule to see if you missed a turn.
Likely causes
Underwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The tips of the leaves turn dry, crispy, and brown. The soil feels very hard and pulls away from the edges of the pot.
What to do: Water the plant thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes. Maintain a consistent schedule of checking the soil every 7 to 14 days.
Mineral Buildup
PossibleHow to tell: This is less common for this plant, usually caused by using hard tap water with high salt content. You might see a white crust on the soil surface along with the brown tips.
What to do: Flush the soil with distilled or filtered water to wash away excess salts. In the future, try to use rainwater or filtered water to keep the soil chemistry balanced.
Find out what's wrong with your deptford pink
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.
Scan with your phone's camera to get the app
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When to worry
Worry if the brown tips are accompanied by wilting or crispy stems. It is normal for a few tips to brown if the plant was recently moved or if the air is very dry.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the soil moisture consistent by checking it every week, but never let it stay soggy.
Deptford pink: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your deptford pink 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
- Can I trim the brown tips off?
- You can trim the brown parts off with clean scissors for aesthetic reasons. Just avoid cutting into the healthy green tissue.
- Does humidity cause brown tips?
- Deptford pinks prefer moderate conditions, but they are generally fine with standard home humidity. Brown tips are almost always a soil moisture issue rather than an air moisture one.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Deptford pink
Back to the Deptford pink 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.