Sensitivity to tap-water minerals
Browning leaf edges plus tap water often means the plant is reacting to fluoride and salts in the water.
Diagnosis
Sensitivity to tap-water minerals
What's happening
Stromanthe, like its prayer-plant cousins, is sensitive to the fluoride, chlorine, and dissolved salts in hard tap water. Those minerals build up in the leaf margins over time and burn the delicate edges brown, a problem that adds to or worsens any humidity-related crisping.
How to fix it
Switch to filtered, distilled, or rainwater, or fill a watering can and let tap water sit out uncovered overnight so some chlorine dissipates. If salts have built up in the soil, flush the pot: run plenty of clean water through until it drains freely, several times, to rinse the minerals out. Trim the burnt edges to tidy things up, and keep feeding light — over-fertilizing adds to the salt load.
What fixes it
- A long-spout watering can — Keep a dedicated can of filtered or settled water on hand so it's ready whenever the plant needs a drink.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Stromanthe Triostar care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this