Brown Spots vs Brown Tips: Where to Look First
A brown tip begins at the leaf's end or edge. A spot begins within the blade. That distinction helps choose the next check, but the outline alone cannot identify a disease.
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| Shape and location | Texture | What changes | Next check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tapered brown end or dry margin | Crisp | More tips brown after dry spells or feeding | Root-ball moisture, fertilizer use, water quality, and nearby heat |
| Pale or tan patch facing the window | Papery or dry | Appears after stronger sun exposure | Compare exposed leaves with shaded leaves |
| Many tiny pale dots or silver scars | Surface looks scraped | Fresh speckling appears on more leaves | Leaf undersides for mites, slender insects, webbing, or black deposits |
| Irregular patch at a crease or tear | Dry once healed | Stays the same shape | Handling damage or rubbing against a window or wall |
| Soft or water-soaked patch | Damp-looking or collapsing | Expands or appears on additional leaves | Stem bases, root condition, cold exposure, and possible leaf disease |
Dry tip burn can accompany drought, high salts, or damaged roots. Follow the brown-tip guide to separate those causes. Pest marks lead to the spider mite or thrips guides. A yellow border around a spot is not enough to choose a fungicide: Maryland Extension's diagnostic guide lists several disease and environmental causes of damaged leaves.
Is it still spreading?
Take a close photo with the whole leaf visible. Compare the same leaf in similar light at the next inspection. A stable dry mark can remain while the rest of the plant grows normally. An expanding soft patch, fresh marks on other leaves, or a soft stem base deserves attention now.
For spreading patches, separate the plant, keep water off the foliage, and inspect its roots if it is also wilting in wet soil. If insects and obvious care problems do not explain the damage, send clear photos or a sample to a local plant diagnostic service before choosing a disease treatment.
Keep a partly green leaf unless it is heavily infested or actively decaying. Trimming away every brown mark will not reveal the cause, and the removed tissue cannot grow back.
