Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Check if the air in your home is very dry from heating or air conditioning.
- Test the soil moisture to see if the plant has been dry for too long.
- Look for signs of pests that might be sucking sap from the leaves.
Likely causes
Low Humidity
PossibleHow to tell: The leaf tips become dry, crispy, and brown while the rest of the leaf remains green.
What to do: Group your plant with others to create a microclimate. You can also place a tray of pebbles and water near the plant to increase ambient moisture.
Underwatering
PossibleHow to tell: The leaves feel thin and the tips brown as the plant struggles to move water to the extremities.
What to do: Increase your watering frequency slightly during hot spells. Ensure you provide enough water so that some drains out of the bottom of the pot.
Find out what's wrong with your black bryony
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
Brown tips are rarely fatal but indicate the plant is not perfectly happy. If the browning spreads to the entire leaf, it is time to adjust your care.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the soil consistently moist during the growing season and avoid placing the plant directly in front of a heater or air vent.
Black Bryony: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your black bryony 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?
- You can trim the brown parts with clean scissors for aesthetic reasons. Just be careful not to cut into the healthy green tissue.
- Is this a sign of a disease?
- Usually, brown tips are environmental. If you see spots with yellow halos, that might be a fungal issue instead.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Black Bryony
Back to the Black Bryony 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.