A common cause
Overwatering & root rot
How to tell
- Tips and edges turn brown and soft rather than dry and papery, and the soil stays damp for days.
- Damaged roots can’t supply the leaf tips.
The fix
- 1
Let the soil dry out and water again only once the top 5 cm (2 in) of soil feel dry.
- 2
If the base is soft or the roots are brown and mushy, unpot it, trim the soft roots, and repot in fresh, fast-draining mix.
Other possible causes
Not a match? Compare the signs below to find the one you have.
Tap-water minerals and salts (a smaller factor here)
African milk tree tolerates tap-water minerals better than more sensitive foliage plants (calatheas, prayer plants), so this is rarely the main cause.
How to tell
- Salts can still build up in a mix that’s never flushed, though.
The fix
- 1
If tips keep browning despite correct watering, flush the mix thoroughly with plain water every few months to clear any accumulated salts.
Fertilizer burn (easy to cause on this plant)
Tips brown within a week or two of a feed.
How to tell
- African milk tree needs so little feeding that a normal houseplant dose is often already too strong for it.
The fix
- 1
Flush thoroughly with plain water, then feed at half the recommended strength and about every 30 days while it’s actively growing.
Occasional dry spells (a minor factor here)
Because African milk tree goes long stretches between waterings by design, the very oldest leaf tips can dry and brown even with correct care.
The fix
- 1
Water according to moisture, only when the top 5 cm (2 in) of soil feel dry.
- 2
Check drainage and do not add water just because a tip is brown or a calendar says it is time.
More about this
This is a much smaller factor than on thirstier plants and rarely the main cause.
Dry heat from a radiator or vent
Tips brown mainly on the side facing a radiator or heater vent.
How to tell
- African milk tree does well at 30–60% humidity, so ordinary room air is rarely the cause on its own.
The fix
- 1
Move it away from the heat source.
More about this
It doesn’t need misting or a humidity tray.
Too much direct sun
Dry brown patches or scorched edges show up where strong sun hits the leaf.
How to tell
- African milk tree wants bright light and some direct sun.
The fix
- 1
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.
All African milk tree guides
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