Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Touch the top inch of soil to see if it is dry.
- Check if the plant is sitting near a heater or air vent.
- Measure the humidity level in the room.
Likely causes
Low Humidity
Most likelyHow to tell: The tips turn crispy and brown while the rest of the frond stays green. This happens often in winter when heaters are running.
What to do: Place your fern on a pebble tray filled with water to boost local humidity. You can also mist the foliage daily or run a humidifier nearby.
Inconsistent Watering
Most likelyHow to tell: The soil feels dry to the touch and the tips are brittle. The plant may also look slightly wilted.
What to do: Water your fern every 3 to 7 days to keep the soil evenly moist. Never let the top inch of soil dry out completely.
Find out what's wrong with your climbing fern
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
Or go to pocketbotanist.app/get on your phone
When to worry
If the browning spreads rapidly to the base of the fronds, the plant is severely stressed. Minor tip browning is common in indoor environments.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the soil consistently moist and maintain humidity above 50 percent.
Climbing fern: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your climbing fern 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 them with clean scissors for aesthetic reasons. Just avoid cutting into the healthy green tissue.
- Will the brown tips turn green again?
- No, once a leaf tip turns brown and crispy, it will not recover. Focus on keeping new growth healthy.
More problems with Climbing fern
- Why are my Japanese climbing fern's leaves turning yellow?
- Why does my Japanese climbing fern have pests?
- Why is my Japanese climbing fern suffering from root rot?
- Why is my Japanese climbing fern drooping?
- Why is my Japanese climbing fern dropping leaves?
- Why does my Japanese climbing fern have spots on its leaves?
- Why is my Japanese climbing fern getting so leggy?
- Why are my Japanese climbing fern's leaves curling?
Back to the Climbing fern 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.