Calatheas have the most beautiful and gorgeous foliage, but keeping it in perfect shape can be a challenge. Is your calathea getting brown leaves? This is one of the most common problems that every owner faces and it is a sign that something is wrong with your plant. We explain what the causes can be and how to fix them.
Calathea Gets Brown Leaves: What Causes Them?
Calatheas are beautiful houseplants, although caring for them can be tricky. These plants will quickly show you that they are unhappy by developing brown leaves. The leaves can turn brown either at the leaf edges, at the top, or in the center of the leaf. In some cases, you can just ignore it, but it can also indicate a more serious problem. Let’s talk about what causes the brown leaves and what to do about it.
Should you cut off the damaged leaves?
If you notice that your plant is developing brown leaves, you should remove them first.
A leaf that has turned completely brown should be cut off.
However, if the leaves are partially brown and there are a lot of them, you should be careful. Please note that you should remove them step by step. You should never remove more than a quarter of the foliage at a time, as the calathea gets much of its energy and moisture from the foliage.
Your plant will soon produce new foliage and once it is full again you can cut off the remaining leaves that you think are unnecessary.
The most common causes and their solutions
- Poor water quality: One of the most common reasons for calathea leaves turning brown is using water with high levels of dissolved minerals, chlorine, or fluoride. These plants are sensitive to dissolved minerals and chemicals commonly added to drinking water. When this happens, your plant’s leaves will turn brown around the edges and they will begin to curl. If this is the cause, let the water sit for a day before watering the plant. This gives most chemicals time to evaporate, making the water much safer for the plant. Or you can use rainwater or distilled water to stop the browning.
- over-fertilization: If water quality is not the cause, consider that over-fertilization has an effect similar to hard water. It leads to mineral and salt deposits in the soil, which soon show up on the leaves. The tips of the leaves turn brown and you can notice some crusts of salt on the soil surface. If you suspect over-fertilization is the problem, first try to remove as much fertilizer from the soil surface as possible without removing more than 25% of the potting soil. After that, flush the remaining fertilizer by watering. But make sure that your container has drainage holes so that the excess water can drain off completely.
- Low humidity: The calathea is a tropical plant that absorbs much of the moisture through its leaves. If the humidity in the apartment is too low, the plant cannot absorb enough water and it dries out. When the leaves start to turn brown and take on a papery texture, it means the plant needs a wetter environment. Increase humidity levels by misting the leaves regularly, using a pebble tray, or placing a humidifier nearby.
- Parched Ground: Your plant prefers evenly moist soil. If it happens that the soil dries out too much, the leaves will turn brown and they will shrivel. Check the calathea regularly to make sure only the top layer of soil is dry. Note that it should be watered more frequently in the summer.
- overwatering: You’d probably notice other signs first, like yellowing of the leaves, but if the top layer of soil is wet, it’s a sign that you’re overwatering your plant.
- Temperature: Extreme temperature changes caused by hot spots or cold drafts can also cause your calathea’s leaves to turn brown. Ideally, this plant prefers temperatures between 18°C and 27°C.
Calathea gets brown leaves due to pest infestation
If your calathea’s leaves are turning brown a few weeks after purchasing a new plant, it could mean that your collection of houseplants has become infested with pests.
Pests such as mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites and aphids feed on the sap in plant tissue. This creates brown spots on the leaves, either on the edges or near the stem.
If you think the brown spots are caused by spider mites, you should examine the underside of the leaves. Clean the plant with a cotton cloth soaked in an insecticidal soap solution. If a particular leaf is too badly infested, cut it off to prevent spread to the entire plant.
Quarantine the affected plants and keep them away from healthy plants.
To protect your calathea from future pest infestations, you can spray them with neem oil every two weeks.