Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Feel the top inch of soil to check for dryness.
- Check if the pot has proper drainage holes.
- Examine the air quality to see if the plant is near a heater or vent.
Likely causes
Underwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The soil feels bone dry and the tips of the fine, needle like leaves are crispy and brown.
What to do: Water the plant thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes. Ensure you are watering every 3 to 7 days depending on how fast the top inch of soil dries out.
Low humidity
PossibleHow to tell: The tips are brown even though the soil is consistently moist.
What to do: Mist the plant occasionally or place it on a tray filled with pebbles and water. This helps create a more humid microclimate around the foliage.
Find out what's wrong with your firecracker plant
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
A few brown tips are common, especially on older growth. Worry if the browning is spreading rapidly toward the center of the stems.
Stopping it coming back
Stick to a consistent watering schedule and keep the plant away from hot, dry air vents.
Firecracker plant: brown tips? Check yours with a photo
Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your firecracker plant 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 off?
- Yes, you can snip the brown parts off with clean scissors to make the plant look better. Just be careful not to cut into the healthy green tissue.
- Is tap water causing this?
- Sometimes minerals in tap water can cause tip burn. If you suspect this, try using filtered or rainwater for a few weeks.
Guides to these causes
More problems with Firecracker plant
Back to the Firecracker plant 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.