Can I trim the brown tips?

You can trim the brown tips with clean scissors for aesthetic reasons. Avoid cutting into the healthy green tissue to prevent further stress.

Is this a sign of disease?

Usually, brown tips are environmental. If you see white powdery spots, that would be powdery mildew, which is a different issue.

Cutleaf coneflower: brown tips, causes and fixes

Check these first

Check the soil moisture to see if it is dry to the touch.
Observe the plant during the hottest part of the day for wilting.
Examine the leaf edges for signs of salt buildup from fertilizers.

Likely causes

Underwatering
Most likely
How to tell: The tips of the leaves turn dry and crispy while the soil feels dusty and hard. This often happens during midsummer heat waves.
What to do: Water the plant deeply once or twice a week, ensuring the moisture reaches the root zone. Apply a 2 inch layer of mulch around the base to hold in moisture.
Excessive Heat
Possible
How to tell: The leaves show brown edges even when the soil is moist. This is a reaction to intense, direct afternoon sun combined with high temperatures.
What to do: Provide a light shade cloth during the hottest part of the afternoon. Ensure the plant is well mulched to keep the root system cool.

Brown tips on other plants

Find out what's wrong with your cutleaf coneflower

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.

When to worry

Minor browning at the very tips is common in late summer as the plant finishes its cycle. Worry if the browning moves inward toward the center of the leaf.

Stopping it coming back

Keep the soil evenly moist throughout the summer and use mulch to regulate soil temperature.

Cutleaf coneflower: brown tips? Check yours with a photo

Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your cutleaf coneflower 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.

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Questions people ask

Can I trim the brown tips?: You can trim the brown tips with clean scissors for aesthetic reasons. Avoid cutting into the healthy green tissue to prevent further stress.
Is this a sign of disease?: Usually, brown tips are environmental. If you see white powdery spots, that would be powdery mildew, which is a different issue.

Guides to these causes

Dehydration

Why are my Rudbeckia laciniata leaf tips turning brown?