Although they aren’t the most difficult plant to take care of, their long stems and large thin leaves make them susceptible to a wide range of problems. If you have spotted signs that your Arrowhead Plant is dying, then it’s crucial you figure out what’s happening quickly!
In this article, we will be sharing the most common reasons why your Arrowhead Plant might be dying, as well as ways to effectively treat the problem and stop it from causing any more harm to your plant in future.
A dying Arrowhead Plant can indicate overwatering
Improper watering is one of the biggest issues for most houseplants and Arrowhead Plants are no different. Overwatering will cause them to start dying, showing up as brown leaf tips, rotten roots and unstable and mushy leaves and stems.
During the growth months, you shouldn’t be watering your Arrowhead Plant more than once every week. During the colder months, it’s important to cut back to about once every 3 to 4 weeks. As well as checking the moisture at the top of the soil before watering, we also recommend picking up your plant before and after watering so you get an idea of much your plant will weigh when it needs water.
To solve the issue and revive your dying Arrowhead Plant, replace any waterlogged soil and trim away rotten roots. Then moving forward, cut back on the frequency of watering so that the soil has time to dry out.
*A little watering tip we have for Arrowhead Plants is to always water from the bottom. This encourages the roots to grow downwards and will increase the plant’s stability. To do this, use a saucer or lift the plant pot out of its planter.
A dying Arrowhead Plant can also suggest underwatering
If your plant’s potting mix is very dry then it may be underwatering that is causing it to die. Again you want to be 100% sure this is causing your plant to die before you increase how much you water your plant. Take the plant out of the pot and see if the potting mix is bone dry. It will start to feel very powdery if there is no moisture and the roots may have started to crisp up.
To start reviving your dying Arrowhead Plant you need to be very careful about introducing water again. Plants can get quite shocked if their environment suddenly changes (yes they are quite like humans in that way!) so you need to give them little bits of water once or twice a day to get some moisture into the soil.
You can also choose to bathe your plant for about 10 minutes to allow the soil to start soaking up some water without becoming waterlogged.
Moving forward, to prevent your Arrowhead Plant from dying due to underwatering again, increase the frequency or amount of water you are giving your plant, whilst keeping an eye on soil moisture using a moisture meter.
Intense sunlight levels might also be to blame
If there are yellow scorched patches on the leaves of your Arrowhead Plant then it may be dying due to too much direct light. Arrowhead Plants thrive in bright but indirect light. They can cope with a little direct sunlight but not in summer. This is because they have very thin delicate leaves and when the sun is too hot and intense, it will burn the leaves.
Unfortunately, once your plant has been sun damaged, those patches are irreversible. However, to prevent further scorching, move your plant to a different spot in your home where it will receive bright but indirect light.
Cold drafts can also cause your Arrowhead Plant to start dying
Another thing to watch out for when diagnosing a dying Arrowhead Plant is cold air. Although you might not notice them, if there are any small cracks in windows or external doors that are close to your Arrowhead Plant, the cold drafts might be what is killing your plants. Signs that the temperature is too low include brown leaves, leaf drop, drooping plant and stagnant growth.
But it’s not just in winter that you need to be wary, as the stream of cold air from AC vents can be just as damaging.
Using a digital thermometer will help you confirm whether this is why your Arrowhead Plant is dying and will help you track any fluctuations in temperature. This will help you determine where the best spot for your plant is.
Dry air can also cause issues for your Arrowhead Plant
If your Arrowhead Plant has developed brown spots or edges on its leaves then dry air is a possible cause. Like with temperatures, these plants thrive in conditions like the tropics and although we could never reach a humidity level anything like the tropics (and even if we could, we definitely wouldn’t want to live in it), we can increase the humidity a little and your plant will love you for it.
Low humidity levels won’t impact your plant from one day to the next, so if your Arrowhead Plant has slowly been developing brown leaf tips etc then this is definitely a possibility. Using a humidity monitor can help you confirm the issue.
There are several quick and easy ways to increase the humidity for your plant and prevent it from dying. Firstly, we always recommend that plant parents start misting their Arrowheads a few times per week to give a nice boost to the humidity level. Other methods you can also try include moving it to your bathroom (if there is a good light level), using a pebble tray or showing your plant.
If things don’t seem to be improving after using these techniques, or you find yourself forgetting to mist regularly then the best thing is to invest in a humidifier. They will take all of your dry air worries away!
Your Arrowhead Plant might also be dying due to pests
It can happen that pests such as mealybugs, spider mites and scale insects take hold of your Arrowhead Plant. Alongside actually spotting the insects on your plant, signs to look out for include brown or yellow spots, holes in the leaves and white webbing/powder across the stems.
If you find pests (or signs of them) on your dying plant we recommend giving the whole plant a shower. Keep the shower pressure quite low though to avoid any damage to the long stems on your plant. You should also treat your plant with an organic insecticide to fight the infestation.
You also need to check over your other plants in the room to see if any other plants have pests. Then keep your Arrowhead Plant (and other infected plants) a good distance away from any of your other houseplants during treatment as you don’t want the pests to spread.
We hope this guide has been helpful and has allowed you to figure out what is happening to your dying Arrowhead Plant. Once you’ve made the needed adjustments to your care routine or your plant’s environment, monitor your plant daily to ensure that things are progressing in the right direction.
Check out our Arrowhead Plant care guide to learn more about how to keep your plant happy!
