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People consider the Peace Lilies as easy-to-grow and low-maintenance houseplants. But peace lilies are also very sensitive and tell you when they are not happy.
Brown tips on the leaves are a sign that things are not going right for your peace lily. It is very disturbing to see the tips of the lush green leaves gradually turning brown and drying out. Initially, it is the tip of the leaf that starts to turn brown.
Remember to provide the correct solutions at this initial stage. If you don’t deal with them on time, then it can become a big issue where the whole leaf turns brown, taking away its lush green color and beauty.
It is important to understand the causes and the solutions available to you to provide the right care so that your peace lily can overcome the brown tips and grow lush foliage again. This article covers the causes and the solutions and will guide you in what needs to be done.
Common Reasons for Peace Lily Leaf Tips Becoming Brown
There may be many reasons causing the brown tips of your peace lily plant. It might be that your peace lily is not being watered correctly, or there are humidity and temperature issues, or over-fertilization, and then again it could be too much sunlight.
The lush, glossy, elegant green leaves of peace lily look beautiful even when there are no flowers on the plant. But when the tips of these leaves start to become brown, they lose their beauty and should be treated as soon as possible.
Peace lilies like to grow in humid climates with temperatures between 60 and 85 F and live in places that receive bright indirect sunlight. If the conditions are not ideal for the plant, the plant indicates this by having brown leaf tips that eventually dry out the whole leaf.
The tips that have turned brown cannot become green again, but you could trim or cut them to remove the brown part. This however won’t complement the plant.
We have identified 5 common problems that cause the leaf tips to become brown and the solutions you need to get rid of the brown tips. Let’s take a look.
Unsuitable Temperatures
Peace lilies grow ideally in temperatures between 80 and 65 F. Temperatures above and below this range can cause the leaves to have brown tips.
In summer or warmer climates, don’t place the plant near an AC vent and place the plant away from windows and doorways to a cooler place that does not receive direct sunlight.
In winter or cold climates, protect your peace lily from cold and place it in a warm place indoors. Don’t place them at heat vents in the winter.
Moisture Issues
There may be a number of moisture issues that make the tips of peace lily leaves become brown.
· Poor drainage
Even if you water the plant correctly, if there is poor drainage in the pot, then it could be damaging for the roots to sit in soggy soil. You should select a container that has drainage holes at the bottom to allow excess water to drain out. Regularly check the drainage holes, as they may become blocked from time to time by rocks or clumps of soil.
· Excess water
Watering the plant more than needed and more frequently can damage it as roots can’t get the amount of oxygen they need. Air spaces in the soil give space for roots to breathe, water blocks these, thus making the roots soggy and smelly. Let the plant dry out a little before you water it again to get rid of excess water.
Improper drainage may also be causing the plant to stay overwatered. You should grow peace lilies in containers that keep the roots slightly bound, don’t grow them in a very large pot. As you may not be able to water the plant correctly without overlogging the nearby soil.
It is a very handy tip to see if you are watering correctly is to check the top layer of the soil which will indicate if the soil is soaking wet, too dry, or just right. However, don’t simply rely on the water levels in the topsoil as sometimes the soil on top is very dry, while the soil underneath is soggy and dripping with water.
· Inadequate water
If you don’t water your peace lily plant as much as it needs, the plant becomes stressed, resulting in dry, crisp leaf tips. To know whether underwatering is the issue, check whether the leaves are drooping and wilting, while also having brown tips. The whole plant should be drooping.
However, if the plant is looking healthy but there are brown tips, it is not inadequate watering but more to do with sunlight.
In the case of underwatering, just water the plant adequately till the soil becomes moist and the drooping and wilting leaves will come back to normal within a few hours.
Too Much Direct Sunlight
One of the most common reasons for the tips of peace lily’s leaves to become brown is because the plant receives excessive amounts of sunlight. You will have to move the plant and put it away from the location where it gets direct sunlight.
Peace lilies need bright indirect sunlight for proper growth, so never give them sun exposure for long. If you don’t change its location, entire leaves will become brown and dry.
You can solve this problem easily, by just moving the plant to another location where it receives indirect sunlight. If you can’t change its location, then look at ways to change the environment where direct sunlight can be reduced.
It is good to place the peace lily plant in front of a window with northern exposure, but place blinds or curtains on windows facing any other direction.
Lesser Humidity
You must know that peace lily plants originate from tropical forests, so they prefer humid and warm climates. If they are grown in a place lacking humidity, then the leaf tips start becoming brown and dry out.
You can increase the humidity in many ways. The easiest of them is to put the plant in the bathroom where it receives heat and moisture. Another way is to group some plants together so that your peace lily isn’t alone. This increases the humidity level.
You could also put the plant in a tray filled with water and pebbles. Water evaporation will increase the humidity and make the leaves green again, just remember to fill the tray with water from time to time.
Another possible solution for indoor peace lily plants is to turn on a humidifier and let it increase the moisture level of the place. This process can be expensive and may only be a short-term solution to solving the brown tips.
Overfertilizing
Sodium and other salts can start building in the soil if there is too much fertilizing. Keep in mind that peace lilies need small amounts of fertilizers, so always be careful to only provide enough fertilization.
The right amount of fertilization for the peace lily plant is to give it fertilizer once each month during the summer and spring months. Dilute the fertilizer by half and never fertilize the peace lily plant with full-strength fertilizer. Remember that you should not fertilize the peace lily plant during winter and fall.
If you ever apply too much fertilizer, you can remove the plant from its container. Then try to remove as much potting soil as you can and replant the plant with new potting soil, using the same container or a different one.
Wrapping Up
Peace lily plants start to lose their beauty if the lush green leaves begin to have brown tips. But you can easily restore their beauty by following the ways we have discussed.
As a rule of thumb, remember to consider if your peace lily has suitable temperature, sunlight, humidity conditions, watering, and fertilizing to thrive.
If your peace lily has brown tips, you are now well equipped to identify the cause and then try to solve it quickly and save your plant from having full brown leaves.
Brown tips may seem a worrisome problem, but it is one of the easiest peace lily problems to solve. So, have a go at reviving the green beauty of your peace lily foliage!
