Aloe Plant Turning Red

One of the most well-liked plants in the world, aloes are treasured for their unique appearance, simplicity of maintenance, and unique medical capabilities. An Aloe plant turns pale yellow or brown, highlighting problems. But what about when the leaves have red coloration? Is this a problem as well.

Why is my Aloe Vera plant turning red, you might be wondering. Some aloe plants can turn a light shade of pinkish or reddish-brown color. These two adjustments result from similar issues.

Many aloe plants organically redden their leaves in response to environmental stress. For example, too much sunlight, cold temperatures, improper watering, fertilizer shock, or even a recent repotting causing transplant shock cause leaves to become similarly discolored.

In our guide, you can learn about several reasons your Aloe plants turn red. Because there are many, it helps to know what causes Aloe vera turning red. By the end, you’ll see how Aloe plants adapt naturally to certain conditions and what you can do to help restore them to their natural color. (Read Aloe Plant Turning Brown – What To Do)

Can Red Aloe Turn Green Again?

The Aloe genus contains hundreds of species, all with different shapes and sizes. The Aloe Vera is a succulent noted for growing in sunny, dry circumstances.

Many aloe leaves tend to turn red as a defense mechanism against too much sunlight. Although some owners mistake this process as sunburn, the Aloe turning red is more suntan to shield the leaves from too much sun exposure and excessive sunlight.

When Aloe is unhappy, its leaves can show issues where a color change may inform you of the plant’s condition.

Environmental stress or a change in the plant’s surroundings can cause Aloe vera red tips or brownish color.

You may ask, do Aloe Vera plants go back? Understanding what is natural and what isn’t is key to a healthy plant and knowing how a stressed plant can quickly return to its natural color.

Sunlight and Healthy Coloration

Several hours of direct sun are often beneficial for aloes. While some smaller varieties thrive in more shaded locations, most aloes prefer light conditions.

However, Aloe varieties prefer different amounts of sunlight, yet most prefer shelter from too much heat from the noon sun.

The plant responds to intense light by turning its color from red to a deep bronze to protect itself from too much sunlight.

The pigment anthocyanin is the same defensive substance trees use in the fall to turn their leaves red.
Most times, an aloe plant turning red is a welcome sign you have a healthy plant. (Read Propagating Aloe Vera Cutting Guide)

1. Too Much Light:

Outdoor aloes frequently go from red to brown throughout the summer and then turn green again each fall without incident, but this is distinct from unfavorable color changes to your Aloe’s leaves brought on by sun damage and excessive heat.

Dry brown scars, shriveled foliage, weak leaves, and burned tips are side effects of severe sunburn.

2. Insufficient Light:

In response, an Aloe in low light will lose its red hues and turn a lighter shade of green as it screams for sunlight.

The heart of the plant will be paler than the rest of it. An Aloe that doesn’t receive enough light will eventually become leggy, splay out, and extend in the direction of the light source.

How Do You Fix Red Aloe Vera?

Here are some of the other reasons for an Aloe Plant Turning Red.

Water Problems

When watering Aloe Vera plants, you’ll find overwatering can quickly kill them. Rotting leaves and roots turn brown and mushy, which is worse than sun damage. An aloe can recover from sun shock, but not root rot.

Avoiding the problem is preferable with these tips:

• First, water carefully: Don’t use a schedule; water when the soil is three-quarters dry.
• During the growing season, a typical watering interval is two to four weeks.
• When leaves wrinkle, it’s time to water. Don’t water puffy leaves.
• Reduce winter watering: cold and rainy circumstances kill Aloes.
• Aloe isn’t easily underwater; a dry plant will turn red or brown under intense light.
• If so, water well, but don’t overdo it and continue with proper watering.

Too Heavy Soil

Aloe plants require particularly well-draining, light, pH-neutral, or slightly alkaline soil.

The roots of an aloe swiftly absorb water into its fleshy leaves because its native habitat’s porous soil quickly drains.

Keeping the roots safely dry in a dense, moisture-retaining mix is challenging, which often leads to waterlogged soil.

A base made of the retail cactus mix is good. To increase the soil’s absorption ability and provide it with some nutrition, add ordinary potting soil, compost, or organic ingredients. Yet don’t compromise its ability to drain quickly.

The ideal mixture for cactus soil and a richer potting medium is 50/50. Add coarse sand, perlite, or other aerating additions to the mixture if it drains too slowly or keeps too much moisture.

Too Much Fertilizer

Aloes only require light feeding as they can easily overdose on a hefty fertilizer application since their root structure is made to absorb moisture swiftly.

Overfeeding shock can lead your aloe plant to turn red.

Even while organic fertilizers are milder than synthetic mixtures, you still need to use them cautiously.

Compared to dry, granular versions, the liquid is safer and simpler to deal with a nutrient deficiency. Most often, you’ll need to treat a phosphorus deficiency, so use a phosphorus-rich blend.

Dilute by 50 to 25 percent and fertilize in the spring after feeding at the beginning of the growing season with an interval of six weeks until late summer.

Top Tip: Soak and drain your soil around 12 hours before feeding your Aloe to protect the root system from fertilizer shock. The roots maintain a thin layer of moisture, which is a barrier against a sudden burst of liquid fertilizer. (Read Why Is My Aloe Plant Turning Yellow)

Salt Buildup

Overfertilization can also cause chemical salts to accumulate. The buildup can burn sensitive roots, causing leaf discoloration and browning, and also lead to a nutrient deficiency as roots can’t absorb anything.

Flush the soil when you water it to remove salts and toxins. Be sure to fully drain the soil as poor soil conditions harm your plants.

Repotting

Repotting is an essential event for a plant. Repotting can cause your Aloe plant turning red, but it should recover as it adjusts.

Some moving tips:

• Increase pot size by 1 inch. Extra soil becomes damp and sluggish.
• Unglazed clay pots dry soil faster.
• Use the same or similar fast-draining soil mix.
• Even if your Aloe was in full sun before, don’t place it in direct sunlight right away. Instead, give it a week of shade to regroup.
• Fertilize after a month. You might wait longer since the plant can probably get enough nourishment from the fresh soil.

What Does An Overwatered Aloe Plant Look Like?

Over Exposure to Sunlight

Have the leaves of your aloe vera plant developed any pale red or brown patches? Then it is sunburned leaves as a result of sunshine exposure.

If your aloe vera is in the sweltering heat, such as in a desert, it is likely unable to withstand direct exposure to sunlight.

If you change your aloe vera plant from indoors to outdoors, from partial shade to full direct sunshine for the entire day, that is probably the case. Sunburn can be seen on Aloe vera leaves. (Red spots on the leaves of an aloe vera plant)

Aloe vera plants are quickly burned by the sun and heat if they move from cold to hotter conditions without a transition time.

How to Fix Sunburn?

1. Limit sun exposure

You must reduce the aloe vera plant’s time in the sun when sunburned.

Even moving the plant into some shade will aid in its recovery. Move it to a room with shade and plenty of bright indirect light.

Attempt to keep your pot close to the window, but watch out for windows that face the southwest. To prevent them from overheating, provide them with indirect sunlight.

2. Maintain Transition Period

Whenever you want to move an aloe plant from a cool place to a hot place, to avoid sun shock, you must relocate it gradually for a few days.

3. Over watering

The overwatering or extremely poor drainage of aloe vera plants is one of the most frequent causes of them turning red.

Aloe vera should have appropriate drainage because it doesn’t like standing water and is a member of the succulent family.

Aloe vera plants shouldn’t be watered as regularly as other plants, and you shouldn’t believe that giving them water every day would cause fantastic development.

There are two reasons why you might over-water.

• Water too frequently: maybe daily.
• Overwatering in one session: may have occurred because you skipped a few days.

How to fix the overwatering for aloe vera plant?

1. Dry existing water

If this is the problem, it is simple to fix. First, drain additional water (from the pot) from your aloe vera plant if you over-watered it, and then allow it to dry.

Avoid keeping your plant in direct sunlight while working on it; doing so will expose the roots to the sun.

2. Use pots with proper drainage holes

Ensure that the soil pot holding your aloe vera plant can effectively drain the water and that the bottom of your pot has a drainage hole.

You should use a cactus soil mix or one-part builders sand with the remaining potting soil.

Overly deep pots can keep water for a more extended period than narrower or wider ones.

When buying or making your own, you should look for a wider pot with a lower height that is best for aloe vera plants.

3. Improve watering

Aloe vera plants don’t require as much watering or day-changing as other plants. So your plant is getting overwatered if you do this.

Before you water it again, you must wait until the top 2 inches of soil are completely dry.

Most individuals decide to water aloe vera plants once a week or once every ten days.

3. Sudden Change in Temperature

Aloe vera plants experience a fast change in temperature that causes the leaves to turn yellow or red, similar to a sudden change in sun exposure.

Do you have an aloe vera plant despite the chilly weather outside? It will undoubtedly hurt the aloe leaves if you don’t give it enough attention.

How to fix it?

If the harm is already done to your aloe plants, you must remove those leaves and bring your aloe vera plant indoors for additional care.

Next time, if you anticipate a cold snap, bring your aloe plants inside or consider investing in a small greenhouse.

Some bugs can also infect your plants, like mealy bugs. To overcome this, you can use a tablespoon of insecticidal soap and a soft cloth to wipe the leaves.

What Does It Mean When The Aloe Plant Turns Pink?

Is Your Aloe Plant Turning Red because of Temperature Stress?

Aloe plants can develop red or purple hues in cold weather. The anthocyanins responsible for the darkening are believed to shield the plant from excessive temperatures.

Even if your plant experiences slight cold temperatures, you might see a red aloe vera plant.

Naturally Red Aloe Plants

Like the magnificent Aloe cameronii, several Aloe species have naturally red leaves. This beautiful Aloe species, native to Zimbabwe and Malawi, has naturally red foliage; however, the color changes according to the time of year and the sunlight.

Most of the leaves will remain green in the winter with red edges and tips, but with ideal lighting, the entire plant takes on a gorgeous shade of red in the summer.

Give this Aloe plant plenty of bright light and sunshine to achieve the best display of red leaf because it prefers more intense sunlight than other Aloe species.