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Lion's Ear · Leonotis leonurus

Why do my Lion's Ear leaves have brown tips?

Brown tips are less common for this plant and are typically caused by low humidity or salt buildup from tap water. Check your water source and the environment to see if the air is too dry.

Check these first

  1. Check if the plant is near a heater or air vent.
  2. Look at the soil surface for white mineral deposits.
  3. Feel the brown tips to see if they are dry and brittle.

Likely causes

  1. Low Humidity

    Most likely

    How to tell: The tips of the leaves become crispy and brown while the rest of the leaf remains green. This often happens if the plant is near a heater or in a very dry room.

    What to do: Move the plant away from direct heat sources like vents or radiators. While this plant likes it dry, avoid placing it in areas with extreme temperature fluctuations.

  2. Mineral Buildup

    Possible

    How to tell: Brown tips appear even when the soil moisture is correct. You might see a white crust on the surface of the soil from minerals in your tap water.

    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 lion's ear

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

Brown tips are rarely fatal and are mostly a cosmetic issue. You should only worry if the browning starts to spread rapidly toward the center of the leaves.

Stopping it coming back

Use filtered water if your tap water is very hard and keep the plant away from artificial heat sources. This helps maintain the health of the leaf edges.

Keep your lion's ear 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

Should I trim the brown tips off?
You can snip them off with clean scissors for a tidier look. Just be careful not to cut into the healthy green part of the leaf.
Does this plant need misting?
No, Lion's Ear does not need misting. It prefers full sun and good air circulation rather than high humidity.

More problems with Lion's Ear

Back to the Lion's Ear guide

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.