Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Feel the soil to see if it is completely dried out.
- Check the drainage holes to ensure water is not sitting in the saucer.
- Examine the soil surface for white mineral crusts.
Likely causes
Inconsistent Watering
Most likelyHow to tell: The tips turn brown and crispy while the rest of the leaf remains green. The soil feels bone dry when you check it.
What to do: Water deeply every 3 to 7 days when the top few centimeters of soil feel dry. Ensure water drains completely from the bottom of the pot.
Mineral Buildup
PossibleHow to tell: The tips brown slowly over time, and you might see white crusty deposits on the soil surface. This happens when using hard tap water.
What to do: Flush the soil with distilled or filtered water to wash out excess salts. Switch to using rainwater or filtered water for future waterings.
Find out what's wrong with your fig
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
A few brown tips are usually just a sign of minor environmental stress. Worry if the browning spreads to the center of the leaf or causes the entire leaf to fall off.
Stopping it coming back
Maintain a steady watering schedule and avoid letting the soil dry out completely. Use filtered water if your local tap water is very hard.
Keep your fig 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 trim off the brown tips?
- You can trim them for aesthetics, but be careful not to cut into the green part of the leaf. Use clean, sharp scissors.
- Is this a sign of a disease?
- Usually, it is just a watering issue. If you see spots instead of just brown tips, that could be a fungal issue like fig rust.
More problems with Fig
- Why are my common fig's leaves turning yellow?
- Why are there spots on my common fig leaves?
- Why is my common fig dropping its leaves?
- Why are there bugs on my Ficus carica?
- Why is my fig tree growing so tall and thin?
- Why is my fig tree drooping?
- How do I fix root rot on my fig tree?
- Why are my fig tree leaves curling?
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.