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brown leaves
Brown or falling leaves on the elephant's foot - that's what to do
It is completely normal for older leaves to turn brown and fall off after a while. In return, the elephant's foot gets fresh green leaves elsewhere. In this way, the plant constantly renews itself. However, there should be a certain balance, with at least as many new leaves growing as old leaves falling. However, if you find that not enough fresh leaves are growing back, then you should get to the bottom of the causes.
causes
Why does the elephant foot get brown leaves or even lose them?
The reasons for brown or even falling leaves on the elephant tree (botanical: Beaucarnea) are quite diverse. Discoloration of the leaves occurs mainly in winter during the heating period. However, there is only cause for concern if the scale becomes too large. Often the reason is insufficient humidity or a location that is too warm. You may have watered your elephant foot too little or it is not getting enough light.
Bumping the tips of the leaves
Even if the sometimes very long leaves of the elephant's foot hit the wall or the floor, the tips turn brown. Here it helps to place the plant in a different, possibly slightly higher place, perhaps on a small table or a plant stool.
Too small pot
If your elephant's foot is in a very small pot, it may not be getting enough nutrients and over time brown leaf tips.
Cutting the tips of the leaves
If you then cut off these tips, the cut edges will turn brown again and again. The same thing happens when you prune healthy leaves because they are too long for you.
waterlogging
Waterlogging also first leads to brown leaf tips and later to rotting of the roots. Then it is difficult to save the elephant's foot. It needs to be repotted in dry soil. Be sure to remove all rotten root parts. Then water only very sparingly. But do not, under any circumstances, allow the root ball to dry out completely.
Possible reasons for brown leaves or leaf tips:
- too much or too little water
- waterlogging
- lack of light
- pruning of the leaves
- too small plant pot
- age of the leaves
- nudge the leaves
measures
How can I save my elephant foot?
As a first remedial measure, it is advisable to lower the room temperature and spray the affected elephant's foot with lukewarm low-calcium water, unless waterlogging is the reason for the brown leaves. If only the tips of the leaves are brown, you can cut them off, but not too far. Leave a small brown border or more of the leaf will dry up.
repot
If the plant pot is too small, you should replace it immediately if possible. Plant your elephant foot in a pot a few inches larger than the root ball. When repotting, check the roots of your elephant's foot as they begin to rot, perhaps because the soil was too moist, and the plant would soon have brown leaves again. Then place the plant in a bright to very bright place.
maintenance
What can I do to prevent my elephant foot from losing leaves (anymore)?
So that your elephant's foot does not get brown leaves in the first place, you should take good care of it and place it in a suitable place. He likes it bright to very bright. However, you should slowly get him used to the midday sun so that he does not develop brown leaf tips. A summer freshness in the garden makes the plant more robust and resilient. However, the temperatures should not drop below about 10 °C at night either.
Keep the root ball evenly moist, but be sure to avoid waterlogging. In summer, your elephant's foot needs quite a lot of water. He then stores this in his fat foot. So it only needs to be watered a little in winter. Also make sure that the humidity is even, about 50 to 75 percent is ideal. From November to February you should give your elephant foot a hibernation in a cool and bright place. Temperatures of around 6 °C to 12 °C are ideal during this time. The elephant foot now only needs enough water so that the root ball does not dry out completely and no fertilizer at all. This rest period allows your elephant's foot to recover and then expel it again.