What's wrong with this plant? Top hypotheses are "not enough water" and "too much water".
These plants are some of the fussier ones to keep alive. 90% of the time it's overwatering.
@peterdrake What kind of plant is it?
@peterdrake Have you been keeping it in direct light? Those need indirect light- looks like scorched leaves.
@Surasanji Nope, north side of the house.
@peterdrake Using fluoridated water? Those plants don't need much water, but are pretty sensitive to fluoride. (Asking my little brother as we go. He's a big plant guy.)
@Surasanji Surprisingly, no -- Portland refuses to fluoridate its tapwater.
@peterdrake Okay, that's good. Final question would be how are you watering it? Soil should be moist, but not soaked. The yellowing at the bottom isn't odd, but the yellowing at the top is, apparently.
@Surasanji I pour a cup of water on the roots once a week. The soil seems bone dry to me, but several people have told me anything more would be overwatering.
@peterdrake Yeah, my brother says they don't need much in the way of water. Like a light mist. Soil should be a little moist, but not outright soaked or wet.
Hope some of that helps.
@Surasanji So ... mist the soil instead of pouring a cup in there?
@peterdrake Yeah, Mist the soil and the leaves of the plant itself. Keep it out of direct sunlight (through a curtain, or something like that) and the soil to the point of being moist.
Apparently this plant can get root-rot if the roots are too wet.
@Surasanji Thanks -- I'll give that a try!
@peterdrake Cool! One more note, let the top soil dry out before misting again. Once it's dry up top, it's good to go again.
@peterdrake direct sunlight or nitrogen like he said.
@peterdrake Overwatering, likely, which doesn't necessarily mean that you are giving too much water (ah!), it could also be that the soil is too clayish and won't drain properly.
Nitrogen deficiency wouldn't be my first guess, those top leaves are of a very deep green and those burnings at the end are not only on the more yellow ones. It may still be, though, young leaves are the first affected by lack of N.
@peterdrake Nitrogen deficiency.