# My Phrag has brown leaf tips



## jjkOC (Dec 22, 2011)

Phrag growers, please help! After reading many of the other threads about leaf tip browning, I think this might be a potassium over-fertilization or excess salt issue, but I wanted to make sure this was the correct assessment. 

My beloved Phrag was doing fantastic all summer. Recently it became very cold reaching in the high 30's at night; I brought it indoors. I noticed that the oldest growth had a yellowing leaf with brown tip and thought this was normal senescence. But, looking more closely I saw brown tips on the leaves of the mature growths that otherwise look healthy green. There is also hazy brown mottling along the axis of a few of the leaves. Lastly, there are small, localized drops of a sap-like liquid on the browning area (see photo). There is no indication of insect infestation.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and assessments. I have already checked the roots and there are many roots with growing tips. I have flushed out the media several times with distilled water and have been changing the standing water daily. The youngest growth looks completely normal but the mature ones that have not yet bloomed are exhibiting the spotting/brown tips.

Thank you!!!


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## Rick (Dec 22, 2011)

The browning looks a bit more widespread than just the leaf tips. Could be frost damage. How about a whole plant shot?

How do the roots look?

I probably wouldn't hurt to flush the pot out real well with a bunch of distilled (or RO) water with a dash of tap water in it.

You didn't mention (that I could find), what species or hybrid this plant is.

A dash of "cichlid sand" in the potting mix may also help (especially for species that come from more calcareous/alkaline areas).

I usually cut off the brown ends and rots, but not sure how big the plant is overall. I'd hate to cut off 1/2 the leaves for this level of damage if it is a small plant.


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## NYEric (Dec 23, 2011)

The lower photo looks bad. Does it smell of rot?


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## Justin (Dec 23, 2011)

looks like cold damage--u should cut off the damaged leaves and hope there is enough green plant left like rick said!


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## Shiva (Dec 23, 2011)

Cold damage is possible and some phrags don't tolerate cold as much as others. However brown tips and dying old leaves is frequent on phrags. I would cut off the affected leaves. Most phrags will tolerate 10°C for a while but the best range is 14 to 25°C. If you think your mix has too much salt, you can repot the plant. Phrags do like to be repotted often. One last tip I learned from an expert for removing a sick leaf is to wash your hands first then pull each half of the sick leaf apart, Then rip each half off the plant in turn. It saves the need to sterelise a cutting tool afterward. Good Luck.


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## SlipperKing (Dec 23, 2011)

The 30's is not good. Looks like a mix of both K overload and definite cold damage. Browning alone the whole leaf=cold. Tips only most likely K overload.


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