Fluoride, chlorine, or salt build-up
Brown frond tips on a palm watered with tap water often point to mineral build-up in the soil.
Diagnosis
Fluoride, chlorine, or salt build-up
What's happening
Palms, and majesty palm in particular, are sensitive to the fluoride, chlorine, and dissolved salts in tap water, as well as to fertilizer salts left in the soil. These minerals accumulate over time and burn the tips of the fronds, leaving a band of dead brown tissue at the very ends even when humidity and watering are fine.
How to fix it
Flush the pot: run plenty of plain water through the soil until it drains freely, several times, to wash out the built-up salts. Switch to filtered, distilled, or rainwater, or let tap water sit out overnight so some chlorine dissipates. Cut back on fertilizer to half strength, and trim the browned tips following the frond's natural shape so new growth comes in clean.
What fixes it
- A long-spout watering can — Keep a filled can sitting out so chlorine off-gasses before watering, and use it to flush the pot thoroughly when salts build up.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Majesty Palm care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this