Plant Problem Lab
Aglaonema profile

Plant + symptom guide

Aglaonema brown tips

Brown tips usually build after repeated small stresses. Separate dry air and salts from underwatering, wet roots, and pest damage.

For aglaonema, read this symptom alongside how the plant usually behaves: Aglaonemas tolerate moderate light but yellow from wet soil, cold drafts, or low light. Pink and variegated types often need brighter filtered light.

Check these cluesBrowse all guides

Possible causes

dry air, mineral buildup, or moisture swingsdry soil stress or inconsistent wateringdry air or mineral buildupinconsistent wateringroot stresspests on fine foliage

What to check

Look for white crust on the soil or pot rim.

Check whether tips worsen near vents, heaters, or hot glass.

Inspect whether new leaves are forming cleanly while old tips remain brown.

Check if yellowing follows cold exposure or winter watering.

Confirm the pot drains before adding more water.

Evergreen diagnosis

Aglaonema brown tips usually come from repeated edge stress

Aglaonema leaves are broad and slow to replace, so brown tips can feel more serious than they are. The tip itself is dead tissue, but the pattern tells you whether the current care is still creating stress.

Look at new leaves, not only old ones. Clean new growth with old brown points usually means past damage. Fresh tips browning as they open points toward water quality, dry air, uneven watering, cold exposure, or roots staying too wet.

Minerals and uneven moisture often work together

Aglaonemas tolerate normal indoor conditions, but repeated small sips can concentrate minerals in the mix and leave parts of the root ball dry. Tip burn often follows that uneven rhythm.

Water thoroughly when the upper mix has dried, then let runoff leave the pot. If you see white crust on the soil or pot rim, flush the mix occasionally and avoid adding fertilizer while tips are actively worsening.

Cold rooms turn tip burn into a root warning

A brown tip by itself is usually lower priority than yellowing, droop, or a soft stem base. If the plant sits near cold glass or an air conditioner while the mix is damp, root stress can show first at leaf edges.

Move the plant to stable warmth and medium to bright indirect light. Trim only dry dead tips for appearance, leaving a narrow brown edge so you do not cut into healthy tissue.

Careful next steps for Aglaonema

  1. Step 1

    Trim only dead brown tissue without cutting into healthy green tissue.

  2. Step 2

    Water thoroughly in a draining pot instead of giving frequent small sips.

  3. Step 3

    Move sensitive plants away from vents and harsh heat.

Related symptoms

Other Aglaonema symptoms to check

Aglaonema yellow leavesYellow leaves make more sense when you check which leaves changed, how wet the soil is, light level, drainage, and recent care changes.Open guideAglaonema droopingDrooping can mean dry soil, wet roots, heat, cold, or repotting shock. The plant name changes how you should read it.Open guideAglaonema root rotRoot rot is more likely when decline comes with wet soil, sour smell, mushy roots, soft stems, or a sealed pot. It is worth checking carefully before repotting.Open guide

Useful reading

Read next for this problem

Overwatered Plant Signs plant symptom example
Watering Problems7 min read

Overwatered Plant Signs

An overwatered plant often looks thirsty. Wet soil, yellow lower leaves, drooping, fungus gnats, and soft stems are stronger clues than one symptom alone.

Read the guide
Why Is My Peace Lily Drooping? plant symptom example
Plant-Specific Guides6 min read

Why Is My Peace Lily Drooping?

Peace lilies droop from both dry soil and wet soil. The fix depends on pot weight, soil moisture, light, and whether the plant recently moved or was repotted.

Read the guide