Why are the tips of my pothos leaves turning brown or black?

Brown tips on pothos have several possible causes. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach calls low humidity the most common reason for brown leaf tips on houseplants. Watering problems and salt buildup from fertilizer can also do it. Check the air, the soil, the roots, and the soil surface for crusty deposits.

Updated 11 November 2026

What should you check first on a pothos with brown tips?

Look at the whole plant, not just the tips. Most houseplant problems come from care and home conditions, and the UC Statewide IPM Program says symptoms are often caused by more than one factor. The Royal Horticultural Society says a correct diagnosis often depends on the other signs of ill health.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension says blackened leaf margins or tips on pothos can come from overwatering, inadequate watering, or excess fertilizer. It adds that this discoloration is often joined by yellow leaves. Change one thing at a time so you can see what helps.

Match what you see on your pothos to a likely cause.
What you notice	What to check	A useful next step
Brown, crispy tips and edges, and soil that dries out for long stretches	How long the plant sits dry between waterings. Iowa State says letting plants dry out too long causes brown tips or edges.	Check the soil with a finger and water when the soil surface is dry.
Browning in the middle of leaves, yellowing, and dark, mushy roots	Lift the plant out of its pot to see if water has collected in the base, as the Royal Horticultural Society advises.	Tip away any excess water and let the plant dry out slightly before the next watering.
White to gray crusty deposits on the soil or pot rim	Clemson Cooperative Extension says this is a sign of salt buildup.	Remove the crust, add fresh soil, and cut back on fertilizer.
Scattered brown patches in the center of leaves	Cold spots, or a sudden drop from very high to moderate temperatures.	Note where the plant sits and keep its temperature steady.
Brown scorched patches and a washed-out look	Strong direct sun, such as a south-facing window in summer.	Move the plant to filtered light.

Pothos does best in filtered light and does not tolerate much direct sun, says University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension. Our guide on how much light a houseplant needs can help you judge your spot.

Is dry air browning the tips of your pothos?

It may be. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach says low humidity is the most common reason for brown leaf tips, and that home humidity is often low, especially in winter.

The Royal Horticultural Society calls brown tips and edges a classic sign of low air humidity. In winter, with the heating on, it says dry air can give crispy leaves with brown tips and edges, plus early dropping of leaves, buds and flowers.

Iowa State lists these ways to raise humidity around a plant:

Humidifier. Run one near the plant.
Grouped plants. Set your plants close together.
Pebble tray. Stand the pot on a tray of damp pebbles, gravel or clay granules.
Terrarium. Grow the plant in one if it suits your space.

If you use a tray, the Royal Horticultural Society says to keep the water level below the top of the gravel, clay granules or aggregate.

How should you water a pothos with brown tips?

Water pothos when the soil surface is dry. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension says to let the plants dry out slightly first and to use a well-aerated growing medium.

The Royal Horticultural Society suggests checking moisture by pushing a finger into the growing medium, then watering only when needed instead of at set intervals. Our guide on how to tell if a plant needs water covers the same check.

Both extremes can brown tips. The Royal Horticultural Society says brown tips or margins may point to overwatering or, more likely, underwatering, and checking the roots can tell you which. Iowa State says inconsistent watering, especially letting plants dry out too long, causes brown leaf tips or edges.

Overwatering is a different problem. Clemson Cooperative Extension says it decreases the oxygen available for root growth and favors root diseases. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension says root rot, with brown or missing roots, is most often due to overwatering. Empty the saucer under the pot so the roots don’t sit in water. For more on telling the two apart, see overwatering versus underwatering.

Could fertilizer salts be blackening your pothos tips?

They can. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension says excess fertilizer builds up salts in the soil, and this can blacken leaf tips or margins on pothos.

Look for white to gray crusty deposits on the soil surface or the pot rim. Clemson Cooperative Extension says these are a sign of salt buildup. Its steps to reduce salts are:

Drench the plant with water from time to time to leach some salts from the potting soil.
Remove salt crusts from the soil surface and add fresh soil to the pot.
Use rainwater when possible.
Empty the saucer under the plant.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach also says to reduce fertilizer rates and how often you feed, and to possibly repot. Clemson says periodic repotting in new potting soil helps too. If you aren’t sure a repot is worth it, read whether to repot a struggling plant.

Should you cut off the brown tips?

You can, but it won’t fix the cause. Iowa State says trimming brown portions only improves looks for a while, and new browning will appear if the original issue isn’t addressed.

The Royal Horticultural Society says leaves that are moldy, shriveled, completely brown or completely yellow won’t recover and can be cut off. It says to keep mostly green leaves until fresh ones grow.

Older pothos leaves also turn yellow and drop off naturally, according to University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension. The UC Statewide IPM Program warns that once a problem is found, restoring a plant is sometimes not practical. For a broader look at this symptom, see brown leaf tips on houseplants.

Plant Doctor, an AI plant diagnosis app for iPhone, reads three photos and names the most likely cause along with the evidence behind it.

Pothos questions

Is it normal for old pothos leaves to brown?

Sometimes. The Royal Horticultural Society says older leaves on healthy houseplants naturally turn brown and die back as the plant matures, which is no cause for concern. If new leaves brown too, look at the causes above.

Can tap water cause brown tips?

It may. Iowa State says too much chlorine or other chemicals, such as fluoride, can cause brown leaf tips, especially over a long time on sensitive species. The Royal Horticultural Society says tap water in a hard water area can lead to nutrient deficiencies, and room-temperature rainwater is better when you can use it.

Could pests or disease be behind the brown tips?

They can be. The Royal Horticultural Society says various pests and diseases can also discolor leaves, and small numbers of insects are usually easy to pick or wipe off, so check plants regularly. Clemson says anthracnose, a fungal disease, can start with tips turning yellow, then tan, then dark brown. For that disease it says to pick off and destroy infected leaves and not to mist them. If the problem looks severe or unclear, ask a local nursery or extension service.

Sources and further reading

Care guidance checked against the sources below. Plant Doctor’s app examples are separate from these references; the institutions do not endorse the app.

Drafted with AI from the sources below; each plant-specific fact checked automatically against its source on 26 October 2026.

This guide offers general plant-care information. A photo cannot confirm every cause; a local nursery or extension service can help with severe or unclear cases.