Natural frond aging
An occasional old, outer frond browning off on an otherwise lush fern is completely normal.
Diagnosis
Natural frond aging
What's happening
Boston ferns continually grow new fronds from the crown and retire their oldest ones from the outside in. If only a few of the lowest, outermost fronds are browning while the center keeps pushing out healthy new growth, the plant is simply doing its normal housekeeping and there's nothing to fix.
How to fix it
Snip the spent fronds off right at the base, where they emerge from the crown, to keep the plant tidy and improve airflow. Carry on with your normal watering and humidity routine. Just keep an eye out that the browning stays limited to the oldest outer fronds and doesn't start spreading to fresh new growth.
What fixes it
- Clean pruning snips — Clean, sharp snips make tidy cuts at the base of spent fronds without tearing the crown.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Boston Fern care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this