Aloe Vera is typically such an eye-catching and beautiful plant that it can be concerning when something is not quite right with yours.
When your Aloe Vera is already turning pink, it could be caused by a variety of factors, some more serious than others.
Continue reading to study the possible causes of your Aloe Vera turning red or pink and how to keep it healthy!
Aloe Vera turns pink when it is exposed to excessive sunlight. If your plant receives an excessive amount of direct sunlight, it will become burnt and begin to suffer. Additionally, improper watering, excessive heat, excessive salt, and exposure to cold are all common causes of an Aloe Vera turning pink.
If left unattended for an extended period of time, Aloe Vera plants will become harder to revive. It is critical to identify and treat problems as soon as possible.
Sunshine Provides Beneficial Coloration
Aloes thrive best when exposed to several hours of direct sunlight each day. While some smaller varieties thrive in shadier locations, the majority of Aloes prefer full sun.
That is not to say they want to bake in direct, hot sunlight. While aloe varieties vary in their preference for direct sunlight, the majority appreciate protection from the extreme midday sun. You should know it.
As a natural sun worshipper, the plant responds to intense light by changing color from pink to deep bronze to act as a shield against harmful rays. This pigment is identical to the protective chemical anthocyanin, which many trees produce in the autumn and which gives their leaves their red color.
Often, an Aloe plant becoming red indicates a healthy specimen. You will need to do a study on your specific variety to determine its requirements, but a hint of red on a strong plant often indicates that it is receiving enough light. There is no need to be concerned.
If you want a good all-green specimen, you can decrease the light, although too tiny light is more of an issue than too much. Here’s how to tell them apart:
- Too Much Light: You should know that outdoor Aloes usually turn red to brown in the summer and then revert to green in the autumn – but this is not the same as harmful color changes caused by solar damage. Sunburn, on the other hand, may result in dried brown scars, shriveled foliage, narrow leaves, and burnt tips.
- Inadequate Light: An Aloe that is exposed to insufficient light will lose its red hues and become a lighter green color as it begs for sunshine. The core of the plant will be paler than its rest. An Aloe that does not get enough light may eventually become leggy, splay out, and/or extend toward the light source.
Appropriate Acclimatization Is Critical For Your Aloe Plant
While Aloes thrive in direct sunlight, they need time to adapt to an increase in light. Outdoor light is much stronger than inside light, and windows prevent the UV rays that Aloe’s red pigmentation is designed to block.
Do not immediately put your Aloe in the sun after removing it from an inside window. When you initially bring the plant outdoors, place it in bright, indirect light. Gradually increase the exposure to brighter light.
This also works in reverse. Allow a couple of weeks in brilliant shadow before bringing in a plant that is used to full light.
The Reasons for the Pinking of Aloe Vera
We depend on Aloe Vera for such many different health benefits that it may be upsetting to find your plant in a state of disrepair.
I have included the most frequent causes of pink Aloe Vera plants below, along with instructions on how to quickly resolve each issue.
Sunburn
While Aloe Vera plants thrive in the sun, there is such a thing as too much of a great thing! Leaving your Aloe Vera in straight sunlight all day may do a great deal of harm to it.
Aloe Vera may get sunburned when exposed to direct sunlight. This may result in a variety of issues, but the most apparent is in the leaves. Sun damage may cause leaves to become pink, red, grey, or brown.
How to Rejuvenate a Sunburned Aloe Vera
While there is no way to reverse sunburn that has already occurred (I am sure many of us wish there was! ), it is feasible to prevent it from occurring again.
Aloe Vera requires just six to eight hours each day in direct sunlight. To prevent sunburn, keep your plant in a bright room that is not constantly in the sun.
Sun diffusers may be used to shield plants on windowsills from excessive sunlight.
Excessive Heat
Aloe Vera thrives at temperatures ranging from 55 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (12.5 to 24 degrees Celsius). However, if the temperature rises too high, your plant may suffer.
The primary reason heat may be so detrimental to your Aloe Vera is because it begins to dry out.
When the temperature is too hot, and particularly if your Aloe has not been adequately hydrated, it will begin to exhibit signs of distress via the color of its leaves.
An Aloe Vera that is too dry is unable to provide adequate nutrients to its leaves, which may become pink or brown as a consequence.
How to Resolve Heating Problems
Repairing heating problems is a very simple process. Monitor the temperature and, if it exceeds the top limits (75°F/24°C), relocate your plant to a cooler place, such as a room without big windows.
If temperatures are high, ensure that your plant receives an adequate amount of water and does not dry up.
Inappropriate Watering
Aloe Vera plants do not need much irrigation. They are used to spending extended periods without water. This is fantastic news for those who like low-maintenance plants!
However, after the top inch of the soil has dried up, you must water it periodically. If you continue to submerge your Aloe, the leaves will most likely begin to change color and ultimately become brown.
Overwatering is a greater issue for Aloe Vera plants, since it may result in root rot! This rot may discolor the leaves, causing them to take on a pinkish tint, develop mushy patches, or grow black spots.
How to Resolve Issues Caused by Improper Watering
To begin, use extreme caution not to overwater the plant. And when the top inch of soil remains wet, hold off on reaching for the watering can!
Allow the top inch of the soil to fully dry out before properly watering it. This is the optimal method of Aloe care.
A smart strategy is to monitor the soil around your plant and water it as needed; this way, you may prevent both over-and under-watering your plant.
Infestation by Pests
There is one major pest that thrives on Aloe Vera plants. The Aloe Vera Aphid is often referred to as the Aloe Mite.
Such mites are almost invisible to the naked eye and may cause severe harm to your Aloe plant’s leaves.
They feed on the leaves, often near the base or in rolling crevices, and emit a chemical that promotes the growth of mold.
Aloe Mite damage may impair growth, induce stunting, and significantly alter the look of the leaves.
Leaves become pink, brown, and black as a result of mites feeding on the plant’s nutrition and promoting mold growth.
Combating a Pest Infestation
Whether you think that your Aloe has been infested by Aloe Mites, check to see if any are visible – you may need to use a magnifying glass if required.
Once you have established the source of the issue, it is important to act quickly before the mites do further harm.
Insecticidal soap has already been shown to be an effective and biologically acceptable method of mite removal without causing harm to the plant.
Apply the spray during cooler hours of the day, such as the morning or evening, to avoid the liquid evaporating too fast.
Concentrate on the bottom of leaves and in sheltered places, since these are the areas where Aloe Mites gather.
Diseases
Anthracnose disease and bacterial soft rot are two diseases that may cause an Aloe Vera plant to become pink.
Anthracnose disease is a fungus infection that flourishes in warm, moist environments and spreads readily through the water.
This results in the appearance of black spots on the Aloe plant, which may grow into pink, red, or brown-colored regions.
Bacterial soft rot is actually a bacterial infection that is deadly to aloe. It is a result of overwatering and water that has collected in the leaves of the plant.
It flourishes in warm climates, changing the hue of the leaves and making them soft and squishy.
How Diseases Are Treated
A fungicide may be used to cure anthracnose disease. Following treatment, the fungus should recede, and your Aloe should revert to its healthy green state.
When it comes to the bad bacterial soft rot, so the best course of action is to cut and discard diseased leaves.
Take care that they do not come into contact with other plants, since they may infect them as well.
There is no treatment for bacterial soft rot, as well as sometimes the damage is irreversible, but if caught early enough and pruned enough, you may be able to stop it in its tracks.
Shock Following Transplantation
Occasionally, Aloe Vera may have a negative reaction to transplantation. If you recently relocated your plant, its leaves might have changed color as a result of shock.
Transplant shock may occur as a result of a variety of factors, including a change in soil quality or temperature, root injury, or a change in the pot’s physical position.
Particularly if you put a young plant into a container, the roots may suddenly become considerably warmer, which may cause plants to go into shock.
Additionally, it will deplete the nutrients available to the plant’s leaves, resulting in their darkening in color.
How to Heal Transplant Shock
Do not abandon your plant! Regardless of how much you believe it has suffered as a result of the transplant, they are tough little creatures who have an uncanny ability to bounce back!
Ascertain that your plant does not get too direct sunlight, particularly if it was previously in a shadier location.
Assure that it receives enough water and that it is planted in the similar quality soil as it was before.
Follow these instructions and be patient with your Aloe – it will recover in its new home!
Roots that are constricted or damaged
Roots may be harmed by excessive watering, transplantation, or salt exposure. They may get restricted if the Aloe is grown in an insufficiently large container.
Damaged or constricted roots will result in plants that are presently unable to extract enough nutrients from the soil to sustain themselves.
This lack of proper nutrition is often apparent throughout the plant but is most noticeable in the plant’s extremities.
This implies that the leaves are often the first to signal a problem, and when the roots are restricted or injured, they may become brown, pink, or red.
How to Correct Root Constriction and Damage
To revitalize the roots, prevent additional constriction, and minimize damage-related issues, gently remove the Aloe plant from its container.
Then, before replanting, cut out any roots that look dark or squishy using gardening shea, sterilized scissors, or sharp.
Put the Aloe Vera in a container three times the size of their roots. As a consequence, if the pot is insufficiently large, you might require to transplant your Aloe.
Inadequate illumination
While Aloe plants may suffer from much light, and they can also get very unhappy with little light.
As with other plants, your Aloe Vera needs the unique characteristics of sunlight to perform photosynthesis, or what plants refer to as “breathing.”
Plants perish without photosynthesis. As a result, if they are not receiving enough light, the prognosis is not favorable.
Lack of light and an incapable plant will result in Aloe Vera leaves withering, shriveling, getting mushy, or changing color.
Depending on the severity of the issue, they may become pink, red, or brown.
How to Address Issues Caused by Inadequate Lighting
Locate your Aloe in an excellent location: someplace that does not get direct sunshine all day is usually bright and provides some shade.
Certainly, avoid hiding your Aloe Vera in a dark area – not only will it struggle to live, but you will also be wasting your lovely plant!
Consider purchasing a good artificial plant light when you lack a suitable location for your Aloe; these lights imitate sunshine and will give your Aloe the precise amount of light it requires.
Excessive Salt
One possibility for Aloe Vera leaves to become different colors of brown is an excess of salt in the soil. This is often the consequence of overfertilization.
Aloe plants can tolerate mild salinity and need feeding no more than once per month. Or the soil is prone to develop a salt buildup.
Salt is very drying, and as we humans are well aware, it is not a good idea to consume an excessive amount! Likewise, for Aloe Vera plants.
When your soil has an excessive amount of salt, your plant’s beauty will suffer.
Salt will enter the plant via the roots, which will spread throughout the plant and pass through the leaves.
This may result in harm to all sections of your plant, as well as it will lose its once-beautiful, fresh, green hue.
How to Correct Excessive Salt
If your soil has accumulated salt as a result of excessive fertilization, have no worry!
This is readily remedied by thoroughly wetting the soil. This will remove the salt.
Ensure that the water drains properly throughout this procedure to avoid root rot.
Alternatively, you may try transplanting your Aloe into a more mineral-balanced soil.
Use fertilizer sparingly, if at all, on your Aloe plant. Make careful to fertilize it no more than once per month and to dilute plant food.
Drafts that are too cold
Your Aloe vera plant despises being exposed to the elements. If temps fall below 55°F, so your Aloe will begin to respond adversely.
This does not just apply to natural colds, such as drafts blowing through windows and beneath doors; it also applies to fans and air conditioning.
If temperatures abruptly drop, your plant may experience shock, making it difficult to carry out its regular survival activities.
Likewise, if the temperature is just too low, the soil is going to be too chilly for efficient root growth.
If your plant is under shock, or if the roots are unable to transport nutrients to the rest of your plant, your Aloe may begin to appear very forlorn, becoming a reddish or pinkish-brown color.
How to Prevent Your Aloe Vera from Being Affected by Cold Drafts
Keep an eye on the location of your Aloe Vera plant. If it is close to a door or a window, it may get caught in a draft.
Likewise, if it is located near a fan or air conditioner, it may struggle with fluctuating temperatures and airflow.
Eliminate drafts by filling holes with a draft excluder or caulk. If your home requires air conditioning, keep your Aloe plant away from it.
Conclusion
As we previously said, excessive things may be harmful to someone. This is also true for aloe plants.
Excessive sun exposure, excessive watering, fertilizer, and salts all pose a serious threat to aloe plants. And these are the primary causes for color deterioration in plant leaves.
To maintain a healthy and thriving aloe plant, the mantra should be’less is more.’ It should get enough sunlight, have a controlled water intake, and receive minimum fertilizer and salt feeding.