With nearly 200 tropical species of dracaena, there is a wide variety of colors, leaf patterns and growth habits to choose from. But most dracaena plants have one thing in common: Improper care or less-than-ideal conditions can cause those beautiful leaves to turn brown and unattractive.

Here’s what to do about brown dracaena leaves—plus why they appear, how to cut them off, and how to keep them from coming back.

7 reasons why your dracaena leaves are brown + how to fix them

Low humidity

If only the tips of your dracaena’s leaves are brown, there’s a good chance your plant is suffering from a lack of moisture. Dracaena prefer humidity levels between 50% and 60%, which is significantly less dry than most indoor air.

You can solve the problem by grouping your dracaena plant with other moisture-loving houseplants to create a more humid microclimate, or by placing a small humidifier near your plant.

Too much sunlight

Dracaena grow best in bright, indirect light. If the light source is too strong or direct sunlight hits the leaves of your plant, the leaves can get sunburned. This looks like dry, brown spots on the leaves, especially if there has been a sudden transition to harsh, sunny conditions.

You can’t undo burnt leaves, but you can move your plant out of direct sunlight and remove the damaged areas. Consider using a sheer curtain to filter sunlight in very bright, sunny rooms.

Cold temperatures

A sudden cold draft or exposure to temperatures below 50°F can damage the leaves of your dracaena plant. Keep plants away from cold windows and doors or air conditioning vents. Leaves that are damaged by cold cannot be saved, so it is best to remove brown leaves and protect your plant from sudden environmental changes.

Underwatering

Drought conditions can cause dracaena leaves to turn brown, wilted and crispy. Dracaena plants require consistently moist soil, so a long period of neglect can lead to leaf damage or even leaf loss.

To save an underwater dracaena plant, water it deeply to restore soil moisture and cut off any brown leaves. In the future, check the soil moisture every week and water when the surface of the soil has just started to dry out.

Salt build-up

Dracaena plants can be sensitive to tap water additives such as fluoride. Salts can also build up in the soil over time as you fertilize your plant. These problems can cause brown tips, edges, or spots on dracaena plant leaves.

You can use a reverse osmosis water filter to remove fluoride from your water supply or water your houseplants with rainwater. Flush the plants with water every month with three times the volume of the plant’s container to help remove salt build-up in the soil.

Leaf spot disease

Too wet conditions, especially in the center of dracaena leaves, can cause a plant disease called Fusarium wilt. Symptoms include dry, brown or brown patches surrounded by yellow areas. In severe cases, the problem can progress to stem rot. To prevent this, water the soil directly instead of wetting the leaves of your dracaena. Treat infections with an organic fungicide.

Natural aging of leaves

Keep in mind that all of your dracaena’s leaves will naturally turn brown as they age before they fall off the plant. One or two brown leaves on an otherwise healthy plant is nothing to worry about. If you want, you can cut them off with sterilized scissors to keep your plant looking its best.

Should I cut the leaves of the brown dracaena?

Regardless of the cause, it’s a good idea to cut off dracaena leaves that have turned brown. This allows your plant to devote its energy to healthy leaves and helps promote regrowth. Your plant will also look healthier and more attractive once you remove the damaged, brown leaves.

However, if only the tips of your dracaena’s leaves are brown, there is no need to remove the entire leaf. Instead, you can simply cut off the brown part, positioning your cuts so that the end of the leaf has a natural V shape. However, if you don’t address the cause of the brown ends, they will keep coming back.

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Dracaena care tips

• In cold and dry climates, your dracaena plant will benefit from a humidifier running nearby, especially in the winter.
• Save heavy pruning for spring or summer, when the plant is actively growing and will be able to grow faster.
• If your plant has become very leggy or spindly, you can cut off the top of the stem, dip the cut end in rooting hormone powder, and plant it in a small container to propagate a new, healthy plant.