Brown-tipped leaves are a common issue with peace lilies. It can be a sign something is wrong with the care you are giving your plant. So, if you find the tips of the beautiful green leaves turning brown, it might be time to take action.
Common reasons for brown peace lily tips are:
- Irrigation problems: overwatering or underwatering your plant
- Light problems: too much direct sunlight or too little light
- Incorrect application of fertilizer: too much or too little fertilizer
Keep reading as I delve into the different causes and tell you how to fix the problem.
Common Causes For Peace Lilies Getting Brown Tips
Incorrect watering of your peace lily is the most likely cause of its brown tips. If you have a sensible irrigation routine, I recommend you look at the light your plant receives and make sure you give it an appropriate amount of fertilizer.
Overwatering Or Underwatering Your Peace Lily
Brown-edged leaves and brown spots are classic signs of overwatering. Peace lilies prefer humid conditions, and they need to be regularly drenched. However, in between watering, you should let the topsoil dry out. Make sure you use well-draining soil and always check the soil’s moisture level before you water your plant.
On the other hand, if you regularly let your peace lily wilt and droop due to lack of water, in the long run, it might result in yellow leaves and brown tips. So if you want a healthy plant, you need a sensible watering routine.
Too Much Direct Sunlight Or Too Little Light
If you are positive you give your plant just the right amount of water at the right intervals, the next thing you should consider is light conditions.
Peace lilies need light, but they prefer filtered or indirect light. If you place your plant directly in the window where it will receive copious amounts of direct, scorching sunlight, you can expect yellow leaves and brown tips.
Again, moderation is the key. Please don’t place your peace lily where it receives no light at all! A nice amount of indirect light is just what it craves!
Incorrect Application Of Fertilizer
When you are certain you have your plant care down in terms of watering and lighting condition, the next step is to make sure your peace lily gets the right amount of fertilizer.
While peace lilies don’t need a ton of fertilizer, nitrogen deficiency can become a problem if they don’t receive any at all. When this happens, your plant will prioritize nitrogen to the younger, growing leaves. The result is older leaves turning yellow with brown streaks.
As always, moderation is the key. If you overfertilize, your plant will suffer. Typical signs of too much fertilizer are greenish flowers and brown edges of the leaves.
How To Fix Brown Tips
If your peace lily suffers from brown tips, you should, of course, try to fix the underlying issues. I will address this later.
But first, let’s cover how to prune your plant to get rid of those unsightly brown tips.
- Grab your tools! In this case a sharp and clean scissor!
- Locate the brown-edged leaves you want to prune.
- For each leaf, you need to decide if you want to keep the leaf and only cut off the brown spots or if you want to cut off the entire leaf.
- If your plant is growing fast and is putting out a lot of beautiful, fresh leaves or if the brown spot is not at the tip, but in the middle of the leaf; cut off the entire leaf.
- If the brown spot is at the tip of a large, beautiful leaf; only cut off the brown tip.
- When you cut off the brown spot of a leaf, do it so the resulting tip is still a natural looking triangle. Meaning cut it at an angle, instead of just straight across.
- To cut off an entire leaf, locate the stem and where it connects to the main plant. Cut it just above this connection.
For an instructional video on how to prune the brown tips, I recommend the video below from Daisy Dawes.
After pruning your plant and getting rid of all the brown spots, make sure you take good care of your plant to minimize the problem in the future.
How To Avoid Brown Tips Going Forward
To avoid – or at least minimize – brown tips in the future, follow good peace lily plant care.
Water your plant about once a week. In the growing season, you need to water it more often than when it’s growing slowly. Always test the soil before you give it water. If the topsoil is still very moist, it is not time to water it yet.
Place your peace lily in a slightly shady location, where it will receive a good amount of indirect light. However, make sure it doesn’t receive too much direct sunlight. Just like water, your plant will require more light when it is growing fast. Therefore you can consider placing it in different locations according to season.
Fertilize your peace lily only once or twice a year and follow the recommended amount on the label. If you fertilize more often, it is important to cut back on the amount you use each time.
Final Word
Brown tips on peace lilies are widespread. It might be difficult to avoid completely, but you can minimize the problem by following an appropriate plant care routine. Water about once per week, keep your plant out of direct sunlight, and fertilize once or twice per year.
When brown tips occur, prune them as described, and you will still have a healthy, beautiful-looking peace lily!