Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Check if the soil is bone dry to the touch.
- Look at the location of the plant to see if it is near a heat source.
- Test the soil moisture with your finger.
Likely causes
Underwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The tips of the leaves become dry, crispy, and brown while the rest of the leaf looks dull. This happens when the soil stays dry for too long during the active growing season.
What to do: Water your plant thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes. Maintain a consistent schedule of watering every 7 to 14 days while the plant is growing.
Low Humidity
PossibleHow to tell: The tips turn brown even though the soil feels moist. This is more common if the plant is kept in a very dry indoor environment with high heat.
What to do: Move your plant to a spot with better air circulation away from heating vents. You can also place the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and a little water to increase local humidity.
Find out what's wrong with your common grape hyacinth
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
Minor browning at the very tips is usually just a cosmetic issue. Worry if the browning starts spreading rapidly down the leaf toward the bulb.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the soil consistently moist during the active growing season to avoid stress on the leaves.
Common grape hyacinth: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your common grape hyacinth 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
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Questions people ask
- Can I trim the brown tips?
- Yes, you can snip the brown tips off with clean scissors for a tidier look. Just be careful not to cut into the healthy green part of the leaf.
- Is my plant dying if the tips are brown?
- No, it is likely just reacting to environmental stress. Adjusting your watering or humidity will usually stop the problem from spreading.
Guides to these causes
More problems with common grape hyacinth
Back to the common grape hyacinth 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.