Brown Tips on dracaena marginata
What's Happening
Fluoride and chlorine toxicity from tap water accumulation in leaf margins. Dracaena marginata is highly sensitive to fluoride (>0.5 ppm) which causes necrotic tip burn; mineral salts accumulate over 1-2 months before visible symptoms appear. Low humidity (<40%) exacerbates tip desiccation.
How to Fix It
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1. Switch water source immediately: Use distilled, filtered, or rainwater; let tap water sit 24-48 hours to dissipate chlorine.
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2. Trim affected tips: Cut brown tips at angle following natural leaf curve with sterile scissors.
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3. Flush soil: Run 2-3x pot volume of filtered water through soil to leach accumulated salts.
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4. Boost humidity: Maintain 40-60% RH via humidifier, pebble tray, or plant grouping.
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5. Monitor new growth: Healthy new leaves indicate successful intervention.
How to Prevent It
Use filtered, distilled, or rainwater exclusively. Install reverse osmosis filter if tap fluoride >0.5 ppm. Maintain 40-60% humidity via humidifier or pebble tray. Flush soil monthly with clean water to leach salts.