While I study plant biotechnology, I often think about how bad it is for nature when people don’t know enough about it or spread false information. That is why I am so passionate about bringing people and nature closer together again. Favourite fruit: raspberries, strawberries and pineapple Favourite vegetables: courgettes, broccoli and cucumbers.
True, an elephant’s foot can linger as a houseplant for decades. But the long-lasting plant should not lack proper care. Find out all about ponytail palm care.
The Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata), which is also called elephant’s foot, has a thick, juicy stem that stores food and water. That is how it gets through bad times in its native Mexico. This self-sufficiency makes it the ideal beginner plant. Unfortunately, this self-sufficiency is not taken very seriously by many an overprotective plant guardian. That’s because adding a little water here and fertilizer there won’t help your protégé; in fact, it might hurt it. Follow these steps to keep the plant’s leaves from turning brown and make sure the plant shines in bright green.
If you’ve noticed the ends of the leaves on your ponytail palm turning brown, don’t panic! This is a common issue that can be fixed with a few simple adjustments to your care routine As a proud ponytail palm parent myself, I’ve been through this frustrating problem but was able to get my plant back to its happy, healthy self In this article, I’ll walk you through some of the most likely causes for browning leaf tips and give you my best tips for how to treat and prevent it.
What Causes Ponytail Palm Leaf Tips To Turn Brown?
There are a few main culprits that could be leading to the browning tips you’re seeing on your ponytail palm:
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Overwatering – Ponytail palms are succulents that prefer infrequent, deep watering If you’re watering too often, the excess moisture can cause the tips of the leaves to turn brown. This browning often starts with yellowing at the edges as well
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Underwatering – On the flip side, not watering thoroughly enough can also cause browning. If the soil dries out too much between waterings, the leaves will shrivel and crisp up.
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Low humidity – Ponytail palms prefer 40-50% humidity. In environments that are too dry, the leaf tips can brown from lack of moisture in the air.
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Sunburn – Direct sun that is too intense can scorch the tender new growth. This causes browning or yellowing of the leaf tips.
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Mineral buildup – If your tap water has a high mineral content, the salts can build up in the soil over time. This can burn the tender leaf tips and cause them to brown.
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Pests – Insects like spider mites can damage the leaves and cause browning. Check closely for any webs or tiny bugs on the undersides of leaves.
How To Treat and Prevent Browning Leaf Tips
If your ponytail palm is suffering from browning tips, here are my top tips for getting it back to full health:
Adjust Your Watering
The first thing to address is fixing your watering routine. Check the soil before watering and only water when the top few inches are completely dry. When you do water, give it a thorough soaking until water drains out the bottom. This encourages deep root growth.
I also recommend bottom-watering your ponytail palm by placing the pot in a bowl of water for 30 minutes. This ensures the entire root zone gets hydrated.
Increase Humidity
Ponytail palms prefer 40-50% humidity, which can be hard to provide indoors. I suggest using a pebble tray to increase moisture in the air around your plant. Simply fill a tray with pebbles and water, then place the pot on top. As the water evaporates, it creates a humid microclimate.
Misting the leaves or using a humidifier can also help boost moisture levels.
Adjust Sun Exposure
If sunburn seems to be the culprit, move your ponytail palm to a spot with bright, indirect light to prevent further damage. East or west-facing windows are often ideal. Slowly transition it to increased light levels to avoid shock.
Flush Out Mineral Buildup
To remove any built-up mineral deposits, do a good flush by watering until water pours heavily from the drainage holes. Repeat this every few months to keep salts from accumulating. Using distilled or filtered water can also prevent mineral buildup.
Prune Damaged Growth
Carefully prune off any leaves that are badly damaged using clean scissors or shears. Make cuts near the base of the plant. This not only improves the look of your plant, but lets it direct energy to new, healthy growth.
Check for Pests
Inspect leaf undersides and new growth for any signs of pests like spider mites. Treat promptly with neem oil or insecticidal soap if an infestation is found. Keeping humidity levels up can also deter pests.
Avoid Direct Sun
Keep your ponytail palm in a spot with bright but indirect light. Even a few hours of direct midday sun can scorch the tender new fronds. Light, gauzy curtains can help filter intense sunlight.
Be Patient! Browning Tips Take Time To Resolve
The most important thing is to be patient and consistent with any changes you implement. It can take weeks or months for existing damage to grow out and new healthy fronds to emerge. But with proper care, your ponytail palm will bounce back.
Monitor your plant closely and make small tweaks over time if needed. The browning tips are simply cosmetic damage, so try not to stress too much. Your ponytail palm will be back to full green glory before you know it!
These beautiful plants are quite hardy and resilient. By troubleshooting the cause of browning and addressing any care issues, you can get your ponytail palm thriving once again. With their unique, fun shape and minimal care needs, they make an excellent addition to any indoor plant collection. I hope these tips help you and your ponytail palm get back on track! Let those green happy leaves unfurl once again.
Avoiding brown leaves on ponytail palms
The ponytail palm belongs to the Dracaenaceae family. In many plants in this family, like elephant’s foot, the lower leaves on the shoots fall off as they age. Thus, only the tip of the shoot bears green leaves. So you should not worry about a few brown leaves. It only becomes critical when not as many leaves grow back as turn brown. Then you have to look for the cause and fight it.
Repotting ponytail palms
Like its grey namesake, the elephant’s foot is rather sedate. But even if feet grow slowly, at some point they become too big for their shoes. Every three to five years, it is time to repot. This time is signalled as follows:
- Stem has the same circumference as the pot
- Root ball is pressed out of the pot
The ponytail palm then moves to a pot about 2 inches larger.
Ponytail Palm Leaves Turning Brown – Care Tips
FAQ
Should I trim the brown tips off my ponytail palm?
Why are the tips of my ponytail palm dying?
What does an underwatered ponytail palm look like?
What does a dehydrated ponytail palm look like?
Why is my ponytail palm turning brown?
At the other end of the spectrum, brown tips on ponytail palms can be due to underwatering. Although well suited to periods of drought, even this hardy plant has its limits. A ponytail palm left without water for long enough will start to become stressed, and the leaf tips will begin to turn brown and die.
What happens if you leave a ponytail palm without water?
A ponytail palm left without water for long enough will start to become stressed, and the leaf tips will begin to turn brown and die. Although this will affect the aesthetics of your plant, it is a survival mechanism. The ponytail palm prioritizes keeping central tissues of the plant hydrated at the expense of the leaf tips.
Can you cut off a ponytail palm?
No. Before you take scissors to the brown leaves of a Ponytail Palm, assess how much is damaged. Taking too much off in the one go will shock it. Aim to cut off no more than 20% of damaged leaves. If more of your plant is affected, trim the brown tips off in stages.
Can You overwater a ponytail palm?
Overwatering a Ponytail palm is actually quite common so it’s an easy mistake to make. Unfortunately, this can cause all sorts of problems such as the leaves turning brown but they can also turn yellow which is also very unhealthy for this plant.