Pocket BotanistCheck these first
- Check the soil moisture to see if it has dried out.
- Feel the texture of the brown tips to see if they are brittle.
- Observe if the browning is worse on the side facing the wind or sun.
Likely causes
Underwatering
Most likelyHow to tell: The tips of the leaves turn brown and brittle while the rest of the leaf may look dull. This happens when the roots cannot pull up enough water to reach the leaf edges.
What to do: Increase your watering frequency to ensure the soil never dries out. Water until you see it draining from the bottom of the pot or soaking deep into the ground.
Low humidity
PossibleHow to tell: This is less common for this plant, usually caused by extremely dry indoor air or hot, drying winds. The tips brown slowly while the plant otherwise looks healthy.
What to do: Mist the foliage occasionally or place the plant in a more sheltered spot. If kept indoors, use a humidifier nearby to keep the air moisture levels up.
Find out what's wrong with your basket willow
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 browning spreads rapidly toward the center of the leaf. Minor tip browning is common during very hot or windy weather.
Stopping it coming back
Keep the soil consistently damp and provide a site with some protection from harsh, drying winds. Mulching helps keep the root zone stable.
Keep your basket willow healthy from here
Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked. Identification and a health check are free.
Questions people ask
- Can I trim the brown tips off?
- Yes, you can trim them with clean scissors for aesthetic reasons. Just be careful not to cut into the healthy green tissue.
- Is my water quality causing this?
- It is possible if you have very hard water with high salt content. If you suspect this, try using rainwater for a few weeks to see if it helps.
More problems with Basket willow
Back to the Basket willow guide
This article was generated with AI from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.