Quick answer
Brown, crispy tips on your flaming Katy have a few possible causes. Check the list below to find which one fits.
Overwatering & root rot. Let the soil dry out and water again only once the soil has dried out completely. 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.
Not a match? Compare the signs below to find the one you have.
How to tell
Flaming Katy tolerates tap-water minerals better than more sensitive foliage plants (calatheas, prayer plants), so this is rarely the main cause. Salts can still build up in a mix that’s never flushed, though.
The fix
If tips keep browning despite correct watering, flush the mix thoroughly with plain water every few months to clear any accumulated salts.
How to tell
Tips brown within a week or two of a feed. Flaming Katy needs so little feeding that a normal houseplant dose is often already too strong for it.
The fix
Flush thoroughly with plain water, then feed at half the recommended strength and about every 30 days while it’s actively growing.
How to tell
Because flaming Katy goes long stretches between waterings by design, the very oldest leaf tips can dry and brown even with correct care. This is a much smaller factor than on thirstier plants and rarely the main cause.
The fix
Water according to moisture, only when the soil has dried out completely. Check drainage and do not add water just because a tip is brown or a calendar says it is time.
How to tell
Tips brown mainly on the side facing a radiator or heater vent. Flaming Katy does well at 30–60% humidity, so ordinary room air is rarely the cause on its own.
The fix
Move it away from the heat source. It doesn’t need misting or a humidity tray.
How to tell
Dry brown patches or scorched edges show up where strong sun hits the leaf. Flaming Katy 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
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.
Water only once the soil has dried out completely, flush the pot with plain water every few months, feed sparingly, and keep it away from radiators.
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