Dypsis lutescens
Quick answer
Brown, crispy tips on your areca palm have a few possible causes, and on this plant the likeliest is dry air. The full list is below.
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How to tell
Just the very tips and edges go brown and papery while the rest of the leaf is fine. This is most common in winter with the heating on, and areca palm prefers 50–70% humidity.
The fix
Raise humidity: group plants together, sit the pot on a tray of damp pebbles, or run a humidifier. Misting helps only briefly.
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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
Tips brown slowly over months despite even watering, and a white crust builds up on the soil surface or the pot rim. Hard water or fertilizer salts can leave this crust. It does not identify fluoride injury.
The fix
Switch to rainwater or distilled water, and flush the pot occasionally to wash out built-up salts.
How to tell
Dry brown patches or scorched edges show up where strong sun hits the leaf. Areca palm wants bright light and some direct sun.
The fix
Filter the harshest midday sun with a sheer curtain for a few weeks, then reintroduce the sunny spot gradually so the leaves can harden off.
How to tell
Palms brown at the frond tips almost universally indoors. Low household humidity and tap-water minerals affect them more than most houseplants, even with good care.
The fix
Trim only the brown part with clean scissors and don’t chase perfection. Focus on humidity and use rainwater or distilled water to slow it, not stop it entirely.
How to tell
Silvery patches with tiny black dots point to thrips.
The fix
Rinse the plant, cut off the worst leaves and treat in rounds, as the thrips guide explains.
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