Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Check if the soil is bone dry.
- Measure the humidity levels in your room.
- Look for signs of heat stress from nearby vents.
Likely causes
Low Humidity
Most likelyHow to tell: The tips of the leaves become dry, crispy, and brown while the rest of the leaf remains green. This is common in dry indoor air or during hot summer spells.
What to do: Group your plants together to create a more humid microclimate. You can also place the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and a little water, ensuring the pot sits above the water line.
Underwatering
PossibleHow to tell: The entire leaf feels brittle and the tips turn brown. The soil pulls away from the edges of the pot.
What to do: Water the plant thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes. Aim to keep the soil consistently moist by checking it every 5 to 7 days.
Find out what's wrong with your balloon flower
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 brown patches expand to cover more than half of the leaf. Minor browning on the very tips is often just a reaction to environmental changes.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the soil moisture steady and avoid placing the plant directly in the path of heating or cooling vents.
Balloon flower: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your balloon flower 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
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Questions people ask
- Will the brown tips turn green again?
- No, the brown tissue is dead and will not recover. You can trim the brown tips off with clean scissors for aesthetic reasons.
- Does tap water cause brown tips?
- Sometimes, the minerals or chlorine in tap water can cause tip burn. Try using filtered or distilled water if you suspect your water quality is the issue.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Balloon flower
Back to the Balloon flower 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.