Philodendrons ( Philodendronspp . ) come in a prominent variety of shapes , sizes , and colouring .
There arePhilodendronspecies with vining or tree - similar growth habit , sport small or massive leaves , and set out in color from gullible to pink , white to red , and just about everything in between .
There are even some eccentric with crimson - chocolate-brown foliation . But if the leaves start to release chocolate-brown when they are n’t hypothecate to be , it means something is wrong with the philodendron flora .
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In ourguide to growing philodendrons , we provide an overview of how to care for species in this various genus . Our roundup of 41 exceptional varietiesprovides an insight into the top choices to arise at home .
So we know that brown leaf are a warning sign that something is amiss .
If you ’ve noticed browning foliage the prank is to figure out exactly what is causing the trouble and only then can you settle what to do to fix it .
That ’s where this guide amount in . We ’re going to go over 11 mutual causes of browning parting in philodendrons . Here ’s the card :
Why Philodendron Leaves Turn Brown
Narrowing down the job takes some detective work . Broadly , if the brown field on the foliage is sunken , pee - surcharge , or if it has a halo , it ’s more likely to be cause by a pathogen .
brown on philodendron that primarily touch on older leaf growth and lacks these indicator is more likely to be stimulate by an environmental trouble .
These rule do n’t always apply , but they give you a in force start point for your investigating .
Here are the common problem that can cause embrown in philodendrons :
1. Bacterial Blight
If the brown areas on the leaves of your philodendron have a foul smell , you should immediately suspect bacterial blight .
The bacteriaErwinia chrysanthemiandE. carotovorasubsp.carotovorainitially get dark unripe , water - soak spots , but these rapidly spread and blend to form large wound .
finally the centers of the wound might fall out leaving unsightly holes .
In time , the whole foliage will turn brown and mushy , with that foul smell I mentioned .
The bacteria can lie low in a dormant state during the winter , tricking you into suppose that you ’ve gotten ahead of the problem , but it will rear its worthless head again when the temperature warm up again .
bump off and demolish any diagnostic parts of your philodendron . If more than 50 per centum of the plant is diagnostic , it ’s expert to toss it out , as treatment is unlikely to be good .
A product that contains thebeneficial bacteriaBacillus subtiliscan help suppress the disease and can be used as a preventative .
Cease is an efficacious production that take this beneficial bacteria .
CEASE Biofungicide
2. Bacterial Leaf Spot
Bacterial folio spot is a disease triggered by the bacteriaXanthomonas campestrispv.dieffenbachiae , which impacts many different species of houseplant , include philodendron .
Symptoms start out as flyspeck translucent spots along the edges of the leaves .
finally , these become ruddy - brownish and rise a white-livered gloriole . It ’s when the spots spread and merge that they turn wakeful brown with irregular edges .
The bacterium that cause this problem postulate moisture to move and reproduce , so overhead lachrymation , high humidity , and splashing pee will boost the spread .
woefully , if your philodendron becomes infect with this disease , there ’s nothing you may do about it . You ’ll have to dispose of the specimen .
The bacteria can travel on infected flora , stain , tools , or even on your hands .
That ’s why quarantine new houseplants when you first bring them home and wash your helping hand and tools before use of goods and services is so important . Do n’t relax on your houseplant hygienics !
3. Cold Injury
Most philodendron species hail from tropic neighborhood , which intend they are n’t conform to inhuman temperature .
Frost or immobilize temperature will likely vote down the philodendron , but even temperatures that dunk below 60 ° F can cause cold injury .
Even if you keep your house gracious and toasty during the wintertime , walking your plant from the car to the household , low temperature during cargo ships , or leave a doorway open can potentially make insensate damage .
If you have individual pane windows or door that open flat to the exterior – rather than a garage or landing – the draft from one of these can be enough to stimulate injury .
Cold injury by and large appears as black-market necrotic muscae volitantes , brown spots , and wilted or wrinkled leafage . Once you realize that your philodendron has gotten too cold-blooded , move it to a warmer spot , if necessary .
Then , give it a week for all the symptom to fully break and then you canprune offall the damage areas because they wo n’t recover .
They ’ll drain the works ’s energy and can allow the specimen exposed to disease .
4. Leaf Spot
Leaf spot is less coarse on houseplants than it is on outdoor philodendron , but the causal pathogen can be institute indoors on an septic plant .
Then , they can rapidly spread on water droplets in the air or on your hands .
If you inspect plant life prior to bringing them indoors and wash your hired man regularly when working with your houseplant , you should be able to avoid issues with leaf position inside your home .
Pseudomonas foliage spot ( Pseudomonas cichorii ) initially cause small , water - soaked spots on the leafage that become large , dreary browned spots with tan centers and yellow aura as the disease go on .
Heavily septic philodendron leaves might wrench water - hit it up and chocolate-brown , and will rot before falling off the flora .
This is n’t a species - specific pathogen . It can be a major job inbasil , celery , chrysanthemum , endive , moolah , andpepperplants , to name a few .
It can live in the grime for months and when the temperatures are between 68 to 83 ° F with fortune of wet , the pathogen begin to reproduce .
Meanwhile , genus Phytophthora leaf spot ( Phytophthora parasiticasyn . P. nicotianae ) results in large , colored brown , H2O - soaked wound that can pour down the foliage and , eventually , the industrial plant .
This disease , have by oomycetes , does n’t gravel to philodendrons alone . It ’s a serious problem onlupines , nightshades , onions , tobacco , andwatermelons .
Dactylaria leaf position ( Dactylaria humicola ) is specific to philodendrons and starts as little tan pip with down in the mouth center .
The spots themselves do n’t typically produce as expectant as other leafage smirch types . This pathogen is pretty uncommon and only tends to affect outside - grown specimen .
Unless you send a sample to a lab , it ’s pretty gruelling to narrate which pathogen is causing the leafage spots .
For that reason , it ’s best to treat any of the above symptoms with a broad - spectrum fungicide . Copper is one option , though it ’s not as effectual as some of the products available .
A product like Procidic is effective against legion pathogen , both fungous and bacterial in nature .
It harnesses the mogul of citric acid to toss off pathogens on inter-group communication and also works systemically .
Procidic
you’re able to find Procidic in 32 - ounce ready - to - use spray bottles or 16 - oz. or gallon concentrate containersat Arbico Organics .
5. Overfertilization
Overfertilization can be a cause of table salt burn – discussed below – in that harmful minerals build up in the stain . But hold too much plant food can also burn the philodendron industrial plant ’s roots .
Browning leaf tip or margins and yellowing of the lower foliage is a pretty good star sign that you should believe overfertilization as your main suspect for discolored leave .
Overfertilizing can find slowly over time or all at once from one major STD of food .
It can also befall if the potting mixing does n’t drain well and the fertilizer stays in contact with the root for too long .
If you see symptom and have sex you ’ve mayhap been a bit dense handed with the flora food , just flush the territory to push those unwanted mineral salts out . We talk about sluice in more detail under salt suntan .
A long , thorough soak can reduce the plant food table salt in the soil by about 90 pct , so it ’s highly in effect .
And move frontward , be sure to fertilize your philodendron more sparingly !
6. Overwatering
By many accounts , the number one killer of all kinds of houseplants is giving them too much water .
Most of the time , when I talk to someone who say they ca n’t keep their philodendrons alive , it ’s because they ’re overwatering .
I get it . I used to be guilty of it , too . So many plant care guides separate us that the way to keep houseplant happy is to water them once a calendar week or so . But you should never irrigate on a schedule .
You should water when your philodendron needs it , and the timing can vary from species to metal money and calendar month to month .
A H2O - hungry plant might need twice weekly pee in the summer and weekly in the wintertime .
Or a cactus might not need any water at all during the dormant season and just a fleck here and there during the summertime .
Overwatering and root rot go hand - in - mitt . But while the root waste we talk about below is triggered by a pathogen , rotting roots can also be do by simply adding too much water to the land , deprive the origin of oxygen and essentially overwhelm them .
If you overwater once , it ’s no biggie , but repeated overwatering often leads to cataclysm .
The first preindication that you ’re being a chip too generous with the watering can will be yellowing and browning leaves that cease up droopy and wilted .
They might drop from the philodendron , depend on the specie , but not always .
The solution , of course , is to irrigate less often . It ’s always better to err on the side of providing too little piddle .
Usually , that ’s enough to set your plant the right way , though if your flora is look very pitiful and you require to be extra safe , remove it from the pot and toss out the soil . Trim off any dead solution and repot in fresh grunge .
You might also want to care for for source guff as report below , as there ’s always the peril that a pathogen is also involved .
Be indisputable that the drainage holes in the container are n’t blocked , and if your tummy does n’t have drain holes , pick another one .
Be indisputable to empty the catchment pot or tray about a one-half minute after watering .
7. Root Rot
Symptoms of root hogwash are exchangeable to those triggered by overwatering , with the addition of pathogen in theRhizoctoniaandPythiumgenera .
These fungous pathogens need scads of moisture to survive and reproduce , which is why they look in dirt that is overwatered .
When a plant has ancestor rot , the folio will first turn icteric , then brown , and the specimen will droop . The foliage generally wo n’t fall from the plant life . If the problem advances though , the integral plant will give-up the ghost .
If your plant life is in a pot , off it and wash away all of the soil from around the roots . Prune off any black , mushy , or otherwise compromised root .
Wash the container thoroughly with hot , oily water and then repot the plant in sassy filth .
Next , you need to cover the plant to kill any stay on pathogens . You should also treat any philodendron that is growing in the ground using the same process .
Luckily , biofungicides are effective against this disease .
There are option out there that incorporate beneficial bacteriaStreptomyces lydicusandBacillus subtilis , as well as beneficial fungusTrhichoderma asperellum .
salutary previous citric acid , thyme oil , and copper works , too .
I ’ve economise several plants from a ascendant molder expiry using copper fungicide and , my favorite merchandise , Mycostop .
Mycostop is a biofungicide that harnesses the power of a bacteria calledStreptomycesStrain K61 , which is derived from sphagnum peat moss .
Mycostop Biofungicide
It name spry workplace of root hogwash when you utilize it to the land and basis of the philodendron .
plunk up five or 25 gramsat Arbico Organics .
get wind more about how to deal with root rot in houseplant in our template .
8. Salt Burn
We ’re not talking about the kind of common salt burn you get when you open your eyes while swimming in the sea . This is the kind that takes place when mineral salts build up in the dirt .
Soluble salts like sodium , chloride , atomic number 5 , calcium , and magnesium can be present in municipal water and fertilizers . Some area have higher mineral content in their municipal weewee than others .
As you water your plants over and over with mineral - operose water , the chemicals finally progress up in the soil .
The roots will take up these salts and it will cause the ends of your philodendron leaves to turn browned . Some coinage will drop their leaves , as well .
To prevent this from come about , you should even the grime every three calendar month or so . To do this , irrigate your works soundly until the liquid is running out of the drain cakehole .
Wait five minutes or so and then water again until water is run steady out of the holes again .
In summation to this , if you ever see a crusty layer of salt build up on the surface of the soil , scrape it off and replace the distant grease with refreshing soil .
Every few years , replace the potting dirt altogether . As potting soil years , the organic topic break down and cause the soil to become compress , depleted , and hydrophobic .
Keep an oculus on container made from absorbent material like terra cotta or unglazed clay . These materials can absorb mineral salts .
you could separate if the pot has absorb salts because you will see livid discolouration on the outside .
While it might disappear if you wipe it with a pissed cloth or when the container is wet , the bloodless area usually return when the potty dry out again .
If this happens , you could submerge the pot in water system for 24 minute or so to dissolve the salts or just pop out with a refreshing , young pot .
9. Southern Blight
southerly blight is a disease cause by the fungusAgroathelia rolfsii(formerlySclerotium rolfsii ) .
It ’s extremely common in veg liketomatoesand some ornamental , but less common indoors .
If you utilise the same tools on your out-of-door plants that you do on your houseplants , you’re able to transmit it from the garden to your indoor specimens .
ab initio , it ’s concentrated to secern whether your philodendron is suffering from southern blight or root putrefaction . It begin with yellow leave that plow brown and wilt disease . As it advances , though , you start to see ashen and chocolate-brown fungal mass . That ’s what sets it apart .
The pathogen flourish in humidity and warm temperatures .
There is n’t a cure for southerly blight except to throw away out the plant life and all the soil with it . ensure you sanitise the container , too , using isopropyl alcohol or spicy , soapy water .
There are Cartesian product like Tenet WP available that contain beneficial kingdom Fungi in theTrichodermagenera , and these can be efficacious at preventing the disease .
If you ’ve dealt with southerly blight before and you ’re nervous it might come around , treat with Tenet WP accord to the directions on the packaging .
Tenet WP
you could purchase 16 ounces of Tenet WPat Arbico Organics .
10. Sunburn
Sunburn chance when a plant is exposed to too much verbatim light , peculiarly in the good afternoon when the Dominicus is the hottest .
In the case of motley cultivar , if the livid areas of the foliage turn brown , it ’s probable as a result of too much Sunday photograph .
Depending on the species , the suburned area may look bloodless to dark brownish and unremarkably has a papery texture rather than being weewee - soaked .
It ’s ordinarily only the leafage that were exposed to the bright light , though it can show up in other area if the plant is extensively damaged .
The answer , of course of instruction , is to move the plant into an area where it is protected from the rough rays of the sunshine .
Cut off all the damaged foliage and if you require to move the philodendron into hopeful light , that ’s okay . Just do it slowly over a calendar week or two .
11. Underwatering
Underwatering is usually far less of a problem than overwatering , but if you inveterate subaqueous , the philodendron will develop dry , brown patches on the foliage .
If you find that the soil is constantly dry and your plants appear to be wilt before perking up when you give them a crapulence , you ’re underwatering .
Still , I can differentiate you from my own experience that minor underwatering is n’t a big deal .
I wait until my heartleaf philodendron is just about wilting before I water it and it ’s robust , happy , and growing more quickly than I can handle .
Err on the side of cater too little water if you are n’t sure how much or how often to irrigate your plants .
For most philodendrons , they like to have evenly moist soil . But that does n’t intend the land should feel tight or inert .
It should feel like a sponge that you wrung out really thoroughly . you may even let the top column inch or so of grime dry out out between tearing .
Prune off any leaves that are mostly brown , as they wo n’t recover and will just expend energy .
Don’t Let Brown Leaves Get You Down
When a philodendron begin to develop browned leaves , you know something is incorrect . It might be no big deal .
Maybe the plant was disclose to a little too much sun . Or it might be a serious issuance that needs immediate attention , like radical buncombe .
Regardless , we hope this guide sets you on the way of life to carry off the brown and returning your industrial plant to expert wellness .
And formore philodendron growing know - how , put these guides on your reading list next :
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About
Kristine Lofgren
