Fixing Brown Tips on Dracaena 'Janet Craig Compacta'

Fixing Brown Tips on Dracaena 'Janet Craig Compacta'

Brown tips and yellowing on this Dracaena are classic fluoride toxicity from tap water. Dracaenas are extremely sensitive to fluoride.

Water Solutions

• Distilled water (gallon jugs from grocery).
• Aged tap water: Let sit in an open bucket 48 hours for chlorine/fluoride to dissipate.

Watering Technique

Forget the "twice a month" schedule. Water thoroughly when the soil is dry 2/3 down (check with a bamboo skewer). Empty the drainage tray after an hour. Ensure the pot has a drain hole.

Order of Likelihood

1. Fluoride in tap water.
2. Under‑ or over‑watering.
3. Pot without drainage.

Switch to distilled/aged water and the skewer method; the plant should recover.