What is it?
Apical necrosis, or brown tips, is not an infectious disease but a common physiological disorder in Spider Plants. It is identified by the progressive drying of the leaf tips towards the center. It is mainly caused by the plant's sensitivity to fluorine and chlorine present in treated water, or by the accumulation of fertilizer salts. Low ambient humidity indoors, especially with heating, accelerates this process by increasing transpiration.
Treatment plan
Immediate
Aesthetic trimming
Trim the brown tips with clean scissors, leaving a millimeter of dry margin to avoid harming healthy tissue.
1-3 days
Water management
Replace tap water with distilled, filtered water, or let tap water sit for 24 hours to allow chlorine to evaporate.
1-3 days
Humidity increase
Mist the leaves with water or place the pot on a tray with pebbles and water, ensuring no direct contact.
1 week
Root check
Carefully remove the root ball to check if the plant is root-bound; if so, repot into a larger container.
Prevention
Fertilizer adjustment
Avoid excessive mineral fertilizers, as salt buildup exacerbates brown tips.
Care during recovery
- Watering
- Moderate, 1-2 times/week. Let surface dry.
- Light
- Bright indirect light; tolerates partial shade. Avoid strong direct sun.
- Temperature
- Ideal 18-24°C. Avoid drafts.
- Soil
- All-purpose with good drainage (perlite/coco coir).
- Fertilizer
- Liquid fertilizer for green plants every 15 days in spring/summer.
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