Brown, crispy tips on Round-leaf calathea have a few possible causes, and on this plant the likeliest is dry air. The full list is below.
Dry air (low humidity). Raise humidity: group plants together, sit the pot on a tray of damp pebbles, or run a humidifier. Misting helps only briefly.
How to tell
Round-leaf calathea is one of the more sensitive houseplants to minerals in tap water, so tips brown even with otherwise good care.
The fix
Switch to filtered, distilled, or rainwater (it makes a real difference on this plant) and flush the pot occasionally to wash out built-up salts.
How to tell
The soil dries out hard between waterings, so the tips (the last to get water) crisp first.
The fix
Water more evenly: check the soil regularly and don’t let it go completely bone dry, then soak thoroughly.
How to tell
Brown tips appear with a white crust on the surface, usually after feeding too often or too strong.
The fix
Flush thoroughly with plain water and feed less often, always diluted.
How to tell
Dry brown patches or scorched edges show up where strong sun hits the leaf. Round-leaf calathea wants medium, indirect light.
The fix
Move it back from the glass, or filter the strongest sun with a sheer curtain.
Keep humidity up, use filtered or rainwater since this plant is genuinely salt-sensitive, and never let the mix go bone dry for long.
Same genus or the same care pattern.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-19
