The elephant foot is rightly considered robust and easy to care for. But that doesn't mean he'll put up with poor care and an unsuitable location without any sign of discomfort. His needs should be at least partially satisfied.
Why does the elephant foot have dry tips and how to prevent them?
Dry tips on elephant feet can be caused by incorrect watering, fertilizing, touching or sunburn. To prevent dry tips, you should pay attention to the right amount of water, correct fertilization and a location where the leaves do not hit.
Why do the tips get dry?
There are a variety of causes and reasons that can lead to dry leaf tips on elephant feet. The leaves of this houseplant react relatively sensitively to touch or pressure on the tips. These then become brown and dry.
Other causes of leaf discoloration could be incorrect care. The elephant's foot may have been watered too much or too little. In general, the risk of too much water is greater than that of watering the tree too little. It stores water in its trunk, which is significantly thicker underneath than at the top. Incorrect fertilization manifests itself in a similar way.
Possible reasons for dry leaf tips:
- Leaves hit the floor or wall
- the elephant foot was watered incorrectly (too much or too little)
- incorrect fertilization
- hard, dry ground
- Sunburn
Can I just cut off the dry ends?
It doesn't make much sense to simply cut off the dry tips, because sooner or later the leaves will turn brown again. The elephant's foot doesn't like it when its leaves are trimmed. If you can't help it, then at least don't cut into the green leaf, but leave a narrow brown edge.
How do I prevent dry tips on elephant feet?
Make sure (in the future) that the elephant's foot gets enough water and fertilizer, but not too much of both. The soil may dry out a little between each watering. Water the tree too abundantly and the trunk may become soft.
Tip
To prevent your elephant's foot from getting brown tips in the first place, place it so that its sensitive leaves do not come into contact with the wall or floor.
