Low humidity

Crispy tips in dry air are a classic humidity complaint.

Diagnosis

Low humidity

What's happening

Lucky bamboo comes from humid, tropical conditions and the thin leaf edges lose moisture quickly in dry indoor air, especially near a heating vent or air conditioner. When the leaves transpire faster than the stalk can replace the water, the tips and margins brown and turn crisp.

How to fix it

Raise the humidity around the plant: group it with other plants, set the vessel on a tray of pebbles and water, or run a small humidifier nearby, and move it away from vents and drafts. An occasional misting helps too. Trim the worst of the browned tips with clean scissors, following the leaf's natural shape, while fresh growth fills in.

What fixes it

  • A small room humidifier — A small humidifier near the plant keeps the tips from crisping, especially in dry winter air.

If that doesn't fix it

This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.

Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this