brown tips on Calathea Zebrina
Quick answer
If your Calathea Zebrina has brown tips, the most likely cause is: Calathea zebrina is native to the Brazilian understory and depends on constantly warm temperatures and humid, fluoride-free moisture; in dry heated rooms the leaf edges desiccate and crisp while fluoride and chlorine in tap water accumulate at the margins and scorch the tissue, producing the classic browning tips seen on this species.
Start here:
- 1. Mist the foliage frequently, especially in winter when central heating is running, to keep the air immediately around the plant humid.
- 2. Water only with distilled water, rainwater, or filtered water to avoid fluoride and chlorine damage at the leaf margins.
Why Calathea Zebrina gets brown tips
calathea zebrina
Calathea zebrina is native to the Brazilian understory and depends on constantly warm temperatures and humid, fluoride-free moisture; in dry heated rooms the leaf edges desiccate and crisp while fluoride and chlorine in tap water accumulate at the margins and scorch the tissue, producing the classic browning tips seen on this species.
How to reverse brown tips on Calathea Zebrina
- 1
Mist the foliage frequently, especially in winter when central heating is running, to keep the air immediately around the plant humid.
- 2
Water only with distilled water, rainwater, or filtered water to avoid fluoride and chlorine damage at the leaf margins.
Keep brown tips off this Calathea Zebrina
Keep the plant out of draughts and away from radiators, and maintain a winter minimum of 17-19°C with light to medium shade so the leaves never have to cope with dry, cold, or chemically treated water.