The Majesty palms are a common houseplant in the US; due to their low-maintenance and long age, they are well-liked by plant owners.
The Majesty palm can reach a height of 12 ft when grown in a pot and develop into a huge potted plant having gorgeously huge fronds. However, this implies that brown tips on the palm will be obvious evidence of a mistreated plant.
Brown edges can indicate a variety of issues in the field of botany, including infestations and illnesses or improper plant care.
Here, we will examine the Majesty palm brown tips’ most probable sources. Furthermore, there are suggestions and solutions to repair the condition and stop it from happening again.
Browning of leaves can be of different styles. It could be in the spot form, its tips dipped as brown, or the yellowing of a leaf and then turning brown. Whatever the case, it’s either related to watering, dehydration, or perhaps a shortage of humidity, excessive sunlight (since certain plants easily get sunburned), or an unbalanced nutrient supply.
However, these are not the only problems; overfeeding, underfeeding, and pest infestations are common reasons; we will be studying each reason in detail below.
Majesty Palm Leaves Turning Brown: Causes and Solutions
The seven leading causes why Majesty palm leaves turn brown are dehydration, fungal infestations, malnutrition, low humidity, overwatering, radiation, and old age.
Dehydration
Majesty palms are also found in Madagascar, frequently widely cultivated next to streams, rivers, or isolated marshes. Because of their extensive root systems and exceptionally high moisture, they have continuous water available every day of the year.
As a result, it makes sense that these palms need a large amount of water every day, particularly in spring and summer. So, the hydration needs of outdoor palms in the local habitat and indoor palms, meanwhile, differ significantly.
They cannot expand to enormous sizes because of the constrained environment inside a plant pot. They typically grow between eight and twelve feet in height when kept indoors, in contrast to the growing wild, where some types may rise over 100 feet and require less water.
Outdoor Majesty palms are often accidentally underwatered by owners, resulting in the browning of the tips. Most of the year, excluding the winter, Majestic palm plants in outside gardens require regular watering.
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Overwatering
If the palm is overwatered, you can detect light, dark-brown blotches on the foliage. The entire leaf could be smooth and light brown, and the stems of the fronds may be soft and black.
Examine the topsoil with a bamboo skewer, fingertip, or moisture meter if you see these indicators. Your palm plant may have been overwatered if you last irrigated Seven or even more days earlier and the dirt yet appears moist, the stick emerges wet, or the wetness meter registers higher than 4.
You might need to hydrate less frequently if you’re soaking more frequently than once a week. However, if you’re merely hydrating the Majesty palms as advised, the issue may be with draining.
Naturally, there will be issues if the pot has never had drainage holes. Put new soil in a container with holes!
A contributing factor may also be the potting mix you chose. The roots could be sitting in soggy soil if the soil is wet or simply overly dense, which would cause it to hold water for an excessively long time.
Replant in a well-aerated soil mix drains faster if the soil is persistently damp for more than ten days.
Humidity
Majesty palms naturally develop in areas with high humidity. When cultivating them indoors, it’s crucial to mimic these environments. People frequently neglect to maintain high humidity levels and instead concentrate primarily on watering, which can frequently result in the demise of healthy plants.
It is feasible for a robust, well-hydrated Majesty palm grown indoors to acquire brown tips due to insufficient humidity.
Air conditioners, drafts, or heating systems will impact your home’s airflow and dampness. When it comes to ventilation, the Majesty Palm is not remarkably tolerant.
Maintaining them near an AC or an open window may result in the Majesty palm leaves turning brown and other problems. The plant is effectively frozen by the AC, which further causes dryness due to constant air contact.
The air must be warm and humid for majestic palms, neither chilly nor overly dry. If you are planting a palm inside, placing it close to a kitchen or bathroom will increase humidity. If it doesn’t work, make sure you routinely mist the tree.
The Majesty Palm needs a moisture level of at least 50%. We advise getting a humidity detector to keep an eye on the plant while it recovers.
The moisture levels may not be perfect for the Majesty palm if you reside in areas like the West of the US, such as Arizona, California, and Washington, or spend a lot of time indoors controlling the temperature.
This might be the issue if the fronds are fading out, yet there are no apparent problems with the soil moisture, quality of water, and temperatures.
Try putting a humidifier near the plant or placing the palm close to other plants to give it more moisture (the respiration of different plants combine to give off moisture and mimic the humidity of tropical areas).
Overfeeding or Underfeeding
Browning of the palm tips can be caused by fertilizer applications that are either excessive or insufficient. A high-quality palm tree fertilizer with lots of magnesium is required for majestic palms.
Plant owners frequently ignore trace nutrients in favor of the Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potassium ratio. The fertilizer you use on the Majesty palm must include a minimum of 4% magnesium content in addition to an NPK ratio, which preferably should consist of a more significant proportion of phosphorus and potassium.
A Majesty palm will show signs of starvation for nourishment, similar to any other living thing, on the exterior. It may result in browning, yellowing, and dehydration of the fronds.
Nevertheless, overfeeding your plant can result in a chemical burn. This might be a familiar symptom, but you’ll typically identify the difference because burning causes the plant’s fronds to have crisp edges that are yellow and brown. In the growth period, it is preferable to fertilize with a diluted amount of fertilizer and spray it every month rather than overfertilizing and damaging your plant’s fronds.
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Fungal Infestations
The Majesty palm may suffer fungal root rot when it is left in wet soil for an extended period. Similarly, but much more severe symptoms of frequent overwatering will be present if this occurs. The leaves come across as mushy stems, brown blotches, and have an unpleasant odor surrounding the soil.
The only method to be certain if the Majesty palm has root rot is really to unpot your entire plant and then examine the roots. Trim away any roots that are black, musty, or slimy with caution. Repot the plant next into a new pot with quick-draining soil.
Reduce the amount of water you use and ensure your plant receives plenty of direct and indirect sunshine so it can recover.
Radiation
No matter how sun-tolerant they are by nature, all plants can get sunburned. Certain plants will suffer from burnt leaves and stems when subjected to direct sunlight for longer than three hours each day. Some exhibit remarkable resistance to sunshine, such as Majesty palms (as well as most cacti).
Regardless of whether a Majesty palm receives plenty of water, sunburn can still occur. However, this occurs more frequently with outdoor palms because interior Majesty palms typically receive shaded sunlight, which is less hazardous.
However, if it is placed in front of a window and watered, then the window and water amplify the intensity of UV rays from the sun causing immediate sunburn. Less hydration and excessive sun exposure almost always result in brown tips on Majesty palms.
Old Age
It’s likely that the browning of the leaves you observe is simply due to old age and getting ready to fall by themselves since the plant no longer needs them; if you cannot identify an issue with your Majesty palm’s maintenance or surroundings despite your best efforts. The oldest foliage on the bottom is typically where this fading and leaf dropping takes place.
Therefore, you can breathe if the problem seems to be limited to the bottom of the plant and everything else seems to be in order. Your majestic palm plant is probably preparing to clean up its leaf mess. No need to be concerned!
Wrapping It Up
If you take appropriate care of the plant, brown tips on Majesty palm plants are usually totally avoided.
Keep a timetable for watering to ensure that you are not underwatering or overwatering. Keep in mind, it doesn’t spend too much time in the sun, but more significantly, ensure it gets adequate.
When you plant a Majesty palm, choose the proper fertilizer, shower the leaves daily, and choose faster-draining soil. These resistant plants aren’t that simple to eliminate; thus, even if you make a mistake, the palm will survive if you learn to treat it properly.
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Hi! I’m Sophia, and I love plants – especially an expert in growing house plants. I stay in Chicago, United States of America, and through my blog and social media platforms, provide tips and tricks on how to grow healthy, vibrant plants indoors. Check out more here.