Low humidity
Crispy edges with moist soil and dry air are a textbook humidity complaint.
Diagnosis
Low humidity
What's happening
Fittonia comes from the humid floor of South American rainforests and craves moisture in the air. In dry indoor conditions — especially near a heating vent or air conditioner — its thin leaf margins lose water faster than the roots can replace it, so the edges and tips brown and crisp even when the soil is perfectly watered.
How to fix it
Raise the humidity around the plant well above the 50% it likes: run a small humidifier nearby, group it with other plants, or set the pot on a tray of pebbles and water. Move it away from vents and drafts, and consider a terrarium or covered glass bowl, which Fittonia adores. Trim the worst crispy edges with clean scissors following the leaf's natural shape while fresh growth fills in.
What fixes it
- A small room humidifier — A small humidifier keeps a Nerve Plant's thin edges from crisping, especially in dry winter air.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full White Nerve Plant care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this