Seeing that vibrant green Monstera leaves slowly turn brown can be worrying. I’ve been there myself, panicking over my prized houseplant and wondering if I did something wrong.
But brown leaves on your Monstera don’t necessarily spell doom. Often, it’s just the plant’s way of reacting to small changes in its environment that you can easily correct.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the various reasons why your Monstera leaves might be turning brown and share tips on how to bring your plant back to perfect health.
Here is a quick reference table summarizing the various causes, symptoms, and solutions for browning Monstera leaves:
Number | Cause | Symptoms | Solutions |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Overwatering | Soil stays wet for a week after watering; leaves brown | Mist leaves use pebble tray, and humidifier to raise humidity |
2 | Underwatering | Soil extremely dry for 10+ days; browning leaf tips/edges | Water when the top inch of soil dries; pour water slowly until it flows from drainage holes |
3 | Low Humidity | Humidity below 40%; leaf scorching on edges | Water only when the top inches of soil have dried out; check drainage |
4 | Too Much Sun | Several hours of direct sun; burnt patches on leaves | Filter sunlight, move plant back from window, close drapes |
5 | Dry Air Currents | Situated in airflow from vents/heating; crispy brown leaf edges | Move plant away from direct airflow; add humidity |
6 | Incorrect Temperatures | Mist leaves use a pebble tray, and humidifier to raise humidity | Maintain 65-80°F; avoid cold drafts |
7 | Bacterial Infections | Small brown circular spots on leaves | Remove infected leaves; treat with fungicides |
8 | Root Bound | Replant in a larger pot with fresh soil | Temps too high/low for tropic plants; leaf browning |
9 | Salt Buildup | White crusty deposits; browning leaf tips/edges | Flush soil; replant in fresh mix |
1. Overwatering Can Cause Brown Leaves on Monstera
It’s easy to kill your Monstera with kindness when it comes to watering. These plants are tropicals that thrive in humid environments, so it’s understandable to think they need frequent watering.
But leave the soil soggy for too long, and you run the risk of oxygen deprivation around the roots. This can lead to root rot and cause the leaves to brown.
Solutions for Overwatering:
- Check if the potting mix stays wet for over a week after watering. Stick your finger 2-3 inches deep into the soil to gauge moisture levels. It should not feel perpetually damp that deep between waterings.
- Only water when the top few inches of soil have dried out on top. A moisture meter can help check dryness levels before adding more water.
- Make sure your pot has enough drainage holes around the base. Add more holes with a drill if water pools on top instead of flowing out the bottom after watering.
- Always dump out excess water in saucers below after the soil drains. Never allow roots to sit constantly soaked in a puddle.
Tips to Prevent Overwatering:
- Water by feel vs on schedule; soil moisture tells you when Monstera needs hydrating
- Add extra perlite or bark chips to the potting mix to improve drainage
- Choose containers with drainage holes over decorative pots without holes
I recommend this Lechuza Self-Watering Pot self-watering pot for Monstera plants, which prevents overwatering by controlling moisture levels automatically
2. Underwatering Also Causes Monstera Leaves to Brown
While too much water can cause issues, so can too little moisture for your Monstera plant. Allow the soil to dry out completely for extended periods of 10 days or longer, and it puts stress on the roots’ ability to uptake the hydration and nutrition they require to function.
This shock slowly makes its way to the foliage, initially causing browning along the tips and edges of leaves. If neglected further, the entire Monstera leaf will dry up and die.
Solutions for Underwatering Issues:
- Check if your Monstera’s potting mix stays bone dry for over 10 days. Use your finger to gauge moisture 2-3 inches deep before adding water.
- Adjust your watering frequency appropriately. Monsteras prefer slightly moist but not soggy soil at all times. Only allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings.
- When watering, pour slowly and deeply until excess trickles from the drainage holes below. This ensures water reaches the entire root zone.
Tips to Prevent Underwatering:
- Use moisture meters to check soil dryness before watering
- Choose free-draining cactus/citrus mix instead of water-retentive potting soil
- Add water-retaining gel crystals to mix to help keep the soil hydrated between waterings
Soil Moist Water Crystals are a great way to help prevent underwatering. Just mix into potting soil to absorb and release moisture.
3. Low Humidity Turns Monstera Leaves Brown
Native growing in humid tropical forests, Monsteras prefer consistent humidity between 40-60%. But indoor spaces often dip below 30%, especially in dry weather or with the heater blasting.
When moisture evaporates from the plant’s large leaves faster than it can emit naturally, browning and crisping along the margins occurs.
Solutions for Low Humidity Issues:
- Use a hygrometer to measure ambient humidity. Maintain 40-50% at minimum.
- Misting leaves daily adds supplemental humidity right around the foliage.
- Sit a humidifier nearby and refill when output drops below 40%.
- Place pots on pebble trays – the evaporating water adds ambient humidity.
Tips to Boost Humidity Levels:
- Group houseplants together to create a natural humid microclimate
- Close heating/AC vents blowing dry air directly on plants
I recommend the Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier which safely moisturizes indoor air to relieve overly dry conditions.
4. Too Much Sunlight Burns Monstera Leaves Brown
A common mistake is placing Monsteras with their large, tropical foliage directly into strong sunlight. But too much harsh light actually scorches the plant’s sensitive leaf tissues, causing photo-oxidative damage.
This first shows up with patchy brown spotting, then scorched areas across the surface wherever intense afternoon sun directly strikes the leaves.
Solutions for Too Much Sunlight:
- Too much intense sun often burns Monstera leaves. Rotate pots frequently so all sides get even lighting.
- Filter bright light by hanging lightweight sheer curtains in windows. These still allow air circulation.
- Move plants back several feet from south-facing panes where sunlight is most direct and hottest
- East/west-facing windows have gentler AM-PM lighting. Just close drapes midday when the light is strongest.
Tips to Prevent Sunburn:
- Perform a sunlight test first – observe intensity throughout the days
- Acclimate new plants gradually if moving into brighter environments
I recommend these sheer curtains to softly filter intense midday sunlight if moving plants away from the window is not possible.
5. Dry Air Currents from Vents/Heaters Can Cause Browning
Indoor heating/cooling systems blow quite arid air into a room during winter/summer months. Air conditioners also strip moisture.
Position a sensitive tropical Monstera directly in the path of these drafts, and moisture gets wicked out of the foliage faster than the plant transpirates it naturally. This crisps the leaf edges brown.
Vents overhead and heaters below tend to blast plants with very dry, hot air as well.
Solutions for Dry Air Current Issues:
- Move Monsteras several feet away from heating/AC vents blowing directly on foliage. Avoid placement in the path of airflow.
- Push plants back away from room peripheries where vents line walls and hot/cool air blows into space.
- Group houseplants together along the center of a room since moisture levels are higher away from drying vents.
Tips to Protect Plants:
- Use portable humidifiers to restore moisture lost from heated/cooled indoor air
- Install hygrometers and maintain 40-50% humidity at a minimum
I recommend grouping plants together in the center of a room to shield them from extremely arid heating/cooling ventilation along the walls where humidity drops considerably.
6. Incorrect Temperatures Lead to Brown Spots
While most houseplants tolerate average indoor temperatures alright, tropical Monsteras prefer conditions a bit warmer given their native growing climate. They thrive best around 60-80°F during the day and 60°F minimum at night when respiration rates rise.
If your home cools considerably from thermostat setbacks or you blast the air conditioning in summer, leaves can react by rapidly browning along the margins or developing necrotic splotches across their surface where tissue gets damaged.
Sudden cold snaps outdoors make matters worse when frigid air enters near windows/doors. And most heating systems circulate notably dry air too.
Solutions for Temperature Issues:
- Maintain steady temps between 65-80°F year-round. Run a space heater or fan to regulate your home within this ideal range.
- During winter, place plants away from chilly exterior walls, and leaky windows/doors where they’ll get blasted by cold bursts of air.
- Avoid setting plants directly on cold window sills either.
Tips to Help Plants:
- Group plants together to buffer microclimate from fluctuations
- Keep portable humidifiers running to counteract arid heating/cooling air
I suggest using a pet-safe space heater to maintain ideal tropical temperatures around your Monstera if room temps drop too drastically when heating stets back at night or during winter months.
7. Bacterial Infections Cause Spotted Brown Leaves
Although less prevalent indoors, your Monstera can develop bacterial leaf spot disease. This manifests as small necrotic brown spots dotted across the leaf surface in circular patterns.
While not extremely common inside, keep the plant in persistently damp soil and humidity above 55-60%, and over time leaf spot bacteria will gain a foothold leading to the spotted browning damage.
Solutions for Bacterial Infections:
- Remove and destroy any heavily infected foliage to eliminate sources spreading further disease.
- Treat remaining leaves/stems with copper fungicide or neem oil sprays to clear less advanced infections.
- Always sterilize pruning sheers in diluted alcohol after working with affected plants to avoid transmitting disease.
Tips to Prevent Spread:
- Space indoor plants further apart to prevent moisture splash from spreading bacterial leaf spots from one plant to another.
- Allow the top inch of potting mix to dry out a bit more before watering again.
I recommend a 3-in-1 fungicide spray made specifically to treat leaf spots and other common plant pathogens. Works both preventatively and curatively.
8. Root Bound Plants Produce Brown Leaves
As Monsteras grow over the years, their root structures expand slowly too. But when confined too long in a cramped container, eventually the lack of space prevents roots from taking up moisture/nutrition sufficiently to feed all the foliage.
Since water transport lags, the leaves at the top display signals like odd browning first. It takes many months before leaf loss or stunting occurs.
Solutions for Root Bound Issues:
- Carefully slide plants from containers annually in spring and check root congestion.
- If wrapped fully around the inside or protruding from drainage holes below, it requires repotting.
- Shift only into a container 2 inches wider using fresh, high-quality potting soil to revive it.
Tips to Avoid Severe Binding:
- Annually lift to check if top heavy/rooting out drainage holes
- Report before water uptake issues arise
I suggest planting root-bound Monsteras into these textured orchid pots which provide ample airflow to dense, congested roots. Promote fresh growth.
9. Salt Buildup Causes Leaf Burn & Browning
Over many months, fertilizer salts and natural mineral deposits left after tap water evaporations gradually concentrate in potting soil left untouched for too long.
A thick crusty layer of these elements lines pots and over time accumulates on and within the mix. As salts build up, they start burning tender new feeder roots and inhibit their ability to uptake moisture/nutrition properly.
This damage translates to the foliage as initially stunted, browned leaf margins and tips before spreading inward more significantly.
Solutions for Salt Buildup Issues:
- Annually inspect pot rims for a thick crusty layer of salts and scrub deposits away.
- Perform the “splash test” while watering to see if white residue flecks splash out, indicating accumulation in the soil.
- If salts are concentrated, replant in a fresh mix to give roots a clean slate.
Tips to Prevent Salt Buildup:
- Flush pots monthly by watering heavily to dissolve and drain out accumulating salts before they burn plants
- Use distilled or rain water instead of tap water high in natural minerals
I recommend this distilled water dispenser which gradually releases pure water with zero contaminants into your plant’s soil to prevent any buildup of fertilizer salts or minerals over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the edges of my Monstera leaves turning brown?
The most common cause of brown edges on Monstera leaves is low humidity. Monsteras prefer 40-60% humidity, and when levels drop too low, the leaves lose moisture faster than the plant can keep up. Boost humidity by misting the leaves, using pebble trays, or getting a humidifier. Also check that you aren’t underwatering or over-exposing the plant to sunlight, which can contribute to leaf browning on the margins.
I keep finding more brown spots on my Monstera leaves. How do I fix this?
Recurring brown spots likely mean your Monstera has a bacterial infection called leaf spot disease. It manifests as small necrotic spots dotted across leaves in circular patterns. Treat any heavily infected leaves by removing them promptly. Then spray the remaining foliage thoroughly with a copper fungicide or neem oil solution. Be sure to sterilize any pruning tools after working with affected plants. Allow the topsoil to dry out a bit longer between waterings to prevent the spread of bacteria.
Why are my Monstera’s older leaves turning completely brown and crispy?
It’s perfectly normal for a Monstera’s lower, older leaves to slowly yellow, brown, and crisp up over time. The plant absorbs all the nutrients it can from aging leaves before allowing them to die off. This is a natural stage of the foliage’s life cycle. Just use clean pruners to trim off the affected leaves at the main stem. As long as you see healthy new growth emerging from the top and no browning on the upper foliage, your plant stays happy and healthy!
Wrapping up!
I hope walking through the various causes for Monstera leaves turning brown gives you some troubleshooting ideas if you notice distress. Often it’s something quite small causing the problem that’s easily fixed.
With a little TLC and paying attention to its environment, you’ll have your Monstera back in perfect condition soon! Let those big beautiful leaves unfurl strong and vibrant once more.
References
- Britannica – Monstera
- North Dakota University – Monstera care
- Purdue University – Necrosis