Brown tips - causes
One of the most common problems with elephant feet is the tips of the leaves, which increasingly turn brown and no longer look healthy. Since the elephant's foot is actually a really easy-to-care-for plant, it can quickly become one wrong approach comes and many gardeners have no idea how to go about stopping the loss of greens have to. One of the main aspects of caring for an elephant's foot is directly mimicking the original living conditions from which the plant came. It comes from areas that are characterized by tropical, dry forests and in which the storage of water in the trunk is vital. Mexico is one of the countries where Beaucarnea recurvata can be found in the natural environment and grows there together with Pitaya de Tortuga and cacti of the genus Neobuxbaumia scoparia. For this reason, it is important to enable the elephant's foot to do this. The following causes cause brown leaf tips:- Pour over
- not enough water
- Waterlogging
- Age of the plant
- not enough space
- cut
- dust
- Pot size
Pouring over and waterlogging
Probably the most common cause of an elephant's foot, the leaves of which turn brown, is pouring over or even waterlogging. Since the plant comes from the dry regions of Mexico, waterlogging in any form is to be avoided. because the tree stores water in its trunk, more precisely the caudex, which is also the inspiration of the name is. The thickness of Beaucarnea recurvata is important to enable healthy growth, as it can grow to a height of nine meters. If too much water accumulates and cannot process it, the roots rot. Something should be done immediately to prevent waterlogging, otherwise the plant threatens to perish, as it rotates from the inside and can no longer regenerate. Although the tree always needs some water, especially when it is very dry in winter, watering over can lead to problems that can be difficult for the elephant's foot. Not enough water
Just as Beaucarnea recurvata cannot tolerate too much water, it must not dry out either. Due to its water reservoir, it is armed against long-lasting, but that is by no means a guarantee that the plant will penetrate to the last drop. The warmer and drier it gets, the more water the plant needs and the more it accesses the reserves in its trunk. If you forget to water the plant sufficiently, the entire root ball can dry out and the plant can no longer be saved.Tip: If you are afraid of watering but want to keep your elephant foot from drying out, spray the leaves twice a week. This prevents the roots from drying out and does not overload the roots with excessive moisture.
Old elephant feet
With its sturdy structure and robust growth, the elephant's foot is one of the trees that can take care of itself for a long time. It is the same with the leaves, because the tree does not really need pruning. The old leaves turn naturally brown over time and are replaced by fresh green leaves. This is the normal rhythm of the plant and for this reason it can happen that there are many brown leaf tips as the elephant's foot gets older. A distinction must be made here between the formation of new leaves and discoloration due to a health problem. You can recognize healthy brown leaves by the fact that they change color slowly and don't appear too suddenly. You could say the leaves are changing color at a comfortable pace. If new leaves are formed in the process, you are on the safe side that it is an age-related condition.Lack of space
A lack of space is a common cause of brown leaf tips, because the elephant foot needs a lot of space in order to be able to unfold in a relaxed manner. In addition to the pot size, the space that is given to the leaves is crucial, because they must not be disturbed by obstacles or walls. Pushing the leaves against walls, ceilings, stairs, railings or the like is not good for the leaf tips, which should neither kink nor constrict. This is because succulent plants, including for example aloe vera, their leaves, the branches and provide the trunk with a lot of moisture and thus withstand the dry temperatures in the heat of Mexico can. However, if the natural flow of moisture within the plant is disturbed, an excess occurs in certain areas and the leaf tips begin to discolour. The freer the elephant tree is, the better it is for the "ponytail palm". The flowerpot
A lack of nutrients is also a cause of brown leaf tips, but this is rather rare. The plant can tolerate fertilizer in small quantities, and that means the pot size is often the cause of the condition. If the pot is chosen too small or the plant has not yet been repotted, the root ball can no longer absorb enough nutrients, which is presented in brown tips. Therefore, you should always choose a larger pot in which the plant itself will fit while it is growing.Tip: When planting the elephant foot in the garden, you don't really have to pay attention to a pot size. But Beaucarnea recurvata is particularly suitable as a specimen plant, as the tree always has enough space to grow.
cut
If you had to cut the leaves due to previous problems with the plant, it may affect the color. The cut actually causes all elephant feet to turn brown, but this is a shade of brown that stands for a regeneration phase. Hence, once you don't cut off too much, you don't have to worry in the area of the cut.dust
The elephant foot is comparatively sensitive to dust and should therefore always be wiped off. If too much dust forms, pests are attracted or the plant can no longer breathe properly, which leads to discoloration. Tip: By wiping the leaves, the elephant's foot even absorbs moisture and therefore does not have to be watered. Elephant foot loses leaves - causes
While the discoloration of the leaf tips is easy to fix, if the leaves are lost it may be too late or the elephant foot needs immediate help. Leaf loss is mainly shown by lighter leaves that either break or fall off over time. Many of the above-mentioned causes can also be found in leaf loss, but other points become visible that can severely limit the health of the Beaucarnea recurvata:- Not enough light
- Soil not loose enough
- Spider mite infestation
- humidity
Tips against brown leaf tips and leaf loss
If your elephant foot has any of the above symptoms, you should do something about it immediately. The plant is very easy to care for and forgives mistakes, but over time this can show up in a sudden loss of the "ponytail palm". With the following tips you are well prepared.Tip 1: When you have poured over the elephant's foot, you should refrain from watering for a while. The plant can withstand dry periods of up to four weeks, especially in autumn and winter, and therefore only needs regular watering when the soil is really bone dry.
Tip 2: If waterlogging occurs, the elephant foot must be repotted immediately, as the entire root ball can rot within a few days. To do this, take the plant out of the pot and use a sharp knife to remove the rotten ones Then place and set the elephant's foot in fresh, well-drained soil, in which they dry can.
Tip 3: Don't forget to water the plant regularly. Here it helps to orientate oneself to the earth in the pot and the hotter and sunnier it is outside, the more often the elephant foot has to be watered, similar to a cactus or aloe vera.
Tip 4: Brown leaf tips can be prevented with a location that is either elevated or at a sufficient distance from walls and ceilings. Make sure not to place the elephant's foot in close proximity to the heater. The heating air is not necessarily bad for Beaucarnea recurvata, but heat can have a negative effect on the fresh leaves, which can dry up and fall off.
Tip 5: Twice a week, wipe the leaves of the elephant's foot with a damp cloth to remove dust from the plant. This enables the elephant's foot to breathe freely.
Tip 6: Pay attention to the pot size and be sure to adapt it to the size of the root ball. Here it is advisable to leave enough space to the edge to support the fast growth of the strong plant.
Tip 7: The humidity is crucial for the elephant's foot, as the asparagus plant comes from the tropical regions of the world. If the humidity is too low, the leaf tips and the entire leaf can suffer and a possible infestation by spider mites can set in, as they do not like high humidity. The ideal humidity is between 50 and 75 percent.
Tip 8: Choose a sunny location for the elephant foot. Even enough light is a miracle for this tree and if you live in a region that does very little If it has light in winter, use a daylight lamp to provide Beaucarnea recurvata with enough light spoil.
Tip 9: If you want to cut off brown leaf tips, which is perfectly fine to contain the damage so far, you should proceed very carefully. To do this, choose sharp and clean scissors and cut off as little as possible. Never too much, otherwise you could damage healthy leaves that will then fall off. Never cut into healthy greenery, even if it is too long for your taste, because elephant feet do not tolerate pruning very well and is also not recommended.
Tip 10: If you want your elephant foot to be more robust, you shouldn't use fertilizer in winter and you should hardly water it. This will keep the leaves healthy and sprout even stronger and healthier in the new year.