Monstera brown leaf tips and edges: causes and what to do
6 results in the diagnosis tree begin with brown tips and edges, 3 of them marked likely when the answers fit. They are ordered here for Monstera (Monstera deliciosa), using what its sources say about humidity, soil moisture, cold tolerance, watering and feeding and one problem recorded for it.
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Monstera deliciosa, the Swiss cheese plant or split-leaf philodendron, is a species of flowering plant. The common name "Swiss cheese plant" is also used for the related species from the same genus, Monstera adansonii. Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Native range: Mexico (Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas) to Guatemala (wet tropical). Also sold as ceriman, custard plant, Cutleaf Philodendron, fruit salad plant, Hurricane Plant and Indian ivy.
What Monstera’s sources say that bears on this
- Humidity
- ASHRAE recommends indoor relative humidity between 30% and 60%Penn State Extension · read 11 September 2026
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drainedRHS · read 11 September 2026
- Cold tolerance
- H1B — 10–15°CRHS · read 11 September 2026
- Watering
- Water thoroughly, then let the upper quarter to one-third of the soil dry before watering again.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026During growth water; in winter keep just moist.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Feeding
- While growing, feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser.RHS · read 13 September 2026
How this shows up on a Monstera
Brown brittle margins with a green centre
A narrow dry border on the monstera, often with a faint yellow line against the healthy tissue. It appears on several leaf blades at once rather than spreading from one.
Transpiration rises as the air dries, and the tissue furthest from a vein loses first. Penn State Extension notes there is no single humidity figure that suits every indoor plant, which is why this site publishes a range rather than a number.
Telling it apart: Whether it crumbles or smears. Crisp is water lost; soft and dark is cold or rot.
Penn State Extension · read 11 September 2026Possible causes, likeliest first for a Monstera
Most likely too little water
Ranked higher because Monstera's recorded problems point this way.
- Moist but well-drained RHS · read 11 September 2026
Why: Soil dry two inches down leaves the roots nothing to send up, and the leaf edges are the last tissue in line.
What to try:
- Water thoroughly, until it runs from the drainage hole.Useful: pot with drainage holes
- Check the soil with a finger every few days rather than watering on a fixed day.Useful: moisture meter
What would settle it: Water it thoroughly and watch the next new leaves. If they come in with clean edges under steadier watering, the edges were thirst.
Most likely cold
Ranked higher for Monstera because of what its sources say.
Its RHS hardiness rating puts this plant's cold floor at 10°C or above, so a cold windowsill at night is a strong explanation.
- H1B — 10–15°C RHS · read 11 September 2026
Why: Soft, dark patches rather than crisp ones are damaged tissue rather than dried tissue.
What to try:
- Move it away from the glass at night, or keep the curtain on the room side of the monstera.
- Leave damaged leaves until new growth appears, then remove the worst of them.
What would settle it: Where the monstera sits at night, and what the glass feels like at that hour. Damage that appeared after one cold night, on the side facing the window, is the pattern.
Most likely a build-up of salts in the soil
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand; pH Acid or Alkaline or Neutral RHS · read 11 September 2026
Why: Minerals from tap water and fertiliser are left behind as water evaporates, and a white crust on the compost or the pot rim is where they show.
What to try:
- Water slowly and heavily until several times the pot's volume has run through the drainage hole, to wash the salts out.Useful: pot with drainage holes
- Scrape off the top layer of crusted compost and replace it.
What would settle it: Scrape the crust. If it is gritty and dissolves in water it is mineral; if it is fluffy it is mould, which is a different problem.
Less likely for a Monstera, still possible
Questions
- What usually causes brown tips and edges on a Monstera?
- For Monstera: most likely too little water, most likely cold and most likely a build-up of salts in the soil.
- How can I tell which one it is on my Monstera?
- Is the browning crisp and dry, or soft and dark? Crisp and dry; Soft and dark.
- What do Monstera's sources say about its soil moisture?
- RHS: Moist but well-drained.
- What does this look like on a Monstera?
- A narrow dry border on the monstera, often with a faint yellow line against the healthy tissue. It appears on several leaf blades at once rather than spreading from one. Telling it apart: Whether it crumbles or smears. Crisp is water lost; soft and dark is cold or rot.
- Is Monstera safe to handle while I check it?
- Its sources list it as toxic to cats, dogs and people. Wash your hands after handling the roots or sap, and keep trimmings away from pets.
Other plants that show brown tips and edges
AlocasiaBrown brittle margins with a green centre
Arrowhead plantEdges of the leaf blades brown while the middle stays sound
Dumb caneLeaf tips go crisp and brown
Elephant earCrisp margins that appear in winter
- No photograph yetLacy tree philodendronEdges of the leaf blades brown while the middle stays sound
Peace lilyBrown tips on the newest leaves first
Something else wrong with the Monstera?
What this does not cover
This page orders a decision tree's results using a plant's sourced care. It has not seen your plant, its pot or its window, and two problems at once are common: that is the usual reason a confident answer turns out wrong. The questions in the diagnosis tool narrow it further than a list can.