Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Touch the soil to see if it is dry.
- Check the location to ensure it is not near a heater or vent.
Likely causes
Inconsistent watering
Most likelyHow to tell: The soil feels dry to the touch and the tips of the leaves are crispy or brittle.
What to do: Keep the soil consistently damp at all times. Water every 1 to 3 days depending on the heat. Never let the top inch of soil dry out completely.
Low humidity
PossibleHow to tell: The plant is in a very dry room or near a heater, causing the leaf edges to brown even if the soil is damp.
What to do: Place the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water to increase local humidity. You can also mist the foliage daily with a spray bottle.
Find out what's wrong with your gypsywort
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
Worry if the browning spreads rapidly toward the center of the leaf. A few older leaves turning brown at the tips is normal as the plant ages.
Stopping it coming back
Maintain a strict watering schedule to keep the soil damp and keep the plant away from direct drafts.
Gypsywort: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your gypsywort 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?
- Yes, you can trim the brown parts with clean scissors. Just be careful not to cut into the healthy green tissue.
- Does tap water cause brown tips?
- Sometimes the minerals in tap water can build up. If you suspect this, try using filtered or rainwater for a few weeks.
More problems with Gypsywort
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.