Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Touch the soil to see if it feels dry.
- Check the humidity levels in the room.
- Inspect the leaves for signs of rust fungus.
Likely causes
Inconsistent watering
PossibleHow to tell: The tips of the blades turn dry and crispy while the rest of the leaf remains green. This happens when the soil is allowed to dry out between waterings.
What to do: Water your grass every 1 to 3 days to keep the soil very damp. Never let the top inch of soil feel dry to the touch.
Low humidity
PossibleHow to tell: The tips brown slowly over time, especially in indoor environments with dry air. The plant may look generally thirsty despite regular watering.
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 to keep the air around the leaves moist.
Find out what's wrong with your reed canary grass
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
Minor browning on the very tips is often just a reaction to dry air. Worry if the browning spreads rapidly down the leaf or if you see orange pustules indicating rust.
Stopping it coming back
Maintain a strict watering schedule and keep the soil consistently wet to mimic the plant's natural wetland habitat.
Reed canary grass: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your reed canary grass 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 cut off the brown tips?
- You can trim the brown tips with clean scissors for aesthetic reasons. This will not harm the plant.
- Is my plant dying if the tips are brown?
- Not necessarily, as this is a common reaction to environmental stress. As long as the base of the plant is green and growing, it will recover.
More problems with Reed canary grass
Back to the Reed canary grass 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.