Why Are The Leaves On My ZZ Plant Turning Brown?
The ZZ Plant, or Zamioculcas zamiifolia, is an East African gem that is hardy and relatively easy to care for when following the proper care guidelines. Despite being low maintenance, you may experience a time when your ZZ Plant leaves are turning brown. Fortunately, ZZ Plant brown leaves are not a cause for panic, just a symptom of a fixable issue.
Too Much or Too Little Moisture
If your ZZ Plant has brown tips that are soft and almost mushy, the issue is likely overwatering. Overwatering can turn into a larger issue, root rot, which could result in plant death. Check the moisture of the soil and adjust your watering cadence accordingly.
If the ZZ Plant is turning brown and the tips are dry and crispy, the issue is likely under watering. Even though the ZZ Plant does better with being underwatered than overwatered, consistently forgetting to water your plant can impact its health.
How to Give Your ZZ Plant The Right Amount of Moisture
The ZZ Plant is drought-tolerant but should be watered every two weeks. Check the soil first; if it's still super moist, hold off a day or two and let it dry out. When you do water, do so thoroughly until the water runs out of the drainage hole, then dump the excess water.
It can be challenging to manage the delicate watering balance of your plants. An easyplant pot can make your watering hassle-free. Just check the reservoir once a month and fill it when empty. the built-in water system takes care of the rest.
Poor Water Quality
If the amount of watering is not the issue, the water's quality may be causing brown tips on the ZZ Plant. Tap water can be harsh for certain plants due to chemicals like fluoride and chlorine. To remedy this issue, you can use a water filtration system or rainwater or leave the tap water out overnight in an open container.
Low Humidity
Typically, this houseplant doesn't require high humidity and will do just fine with normal home humidity. However, if your ZZ Plant has brown leaves, it may be a sign that the environment is too dry, and the humidity will need to be raised to prevent any more leaves on the ZZ Plant from turning brown.
How to Increase Humidity for Your ZZ Plant
If you need to increase the humidity level in the ZZ Plant's space, getting a humidifier is the best way to do this. If you don't have a humidifier, you can put your plant on a pebble tray of water, or group your plants together. The bathroom is also an excellent place to keep your ZZ Plant if it needs humidity.
How to Fix Brown Leaves On A ZZ Plant
You'll want to do a little pruning to fix the ZZ Plant's brown leaves. First, go ahead and remove leaves that have been entirely browned. Unfortunately, they will not turn green again. If the leaves aren't entirely brown, you can remove the affected area with pruning shears or scissors. You don't want to remove more than 20% of the affected leaves at once, so trim them in stages.
Shop ZZ Plants with easyplant Today!
It's relatively easy to diagnose the reason behind your ZZ Plant's brown leaves. Get an easyplant pot for your watering needs, fill it with filtered water, and raise the humidity level in the space. Your plant will be back in good health in no time.
