Aloe Vera plants in the vast majority of cases are gorgeous green and are depicted that way because that’s how they normally look. With that said, an Aloe vera turning red can happen for a variety of reasons.
Is this a cause for concern or is this something natural that happens to Aloe Plants?
The answer is both but it depends on the circumstances and why it has actually become a red hue.
So let’s take a look at the good reasons why and the bad reasons why your Aloe Vera has turned red and what you should keep an eye out for.
Aloe turning red can be natural
In the vast majority of cases, an Aloe vera turning red is a sign that your succulent is getting enough sunlight and is responding accordingly.
Think of it as a sun tan rather than a sun burn as Aloe plants will turn a bright red color when given adequate amounts of sunlight for a long period of time, especially during the warm summer months.
These succulents are designed to produce this red coloration to protect itself from harmful sun rays and thrive even in the hottest places on earth.
It’s only natural.
This doesn’t mean your Aloe Vera is in any sort of danger but rather just vibing to the weather and there is no cause for concern in this case.
With that said, if you just want to return the leaves to the usual green color then you can either reduce the intensity of the sunlight or slowly acclimate the Aloe to growing indoors.
Just don’t do it suddenly so your Aloe has a chance to adapt to the change.
Aloe vera turning red from cold temperature
On the other side of the spectrum, colder temperatures can have an effect on the color of your Aloe Vera plant and can turn this succulent red or a darker shade of red.
This is a sign that the temperatures are becoming too cool for your Aloe Vera, no pun intended.
The cold weather can also turn an Aloe plant white just in case you’re having that issue you can check that out as well.
You really want your Aloe plants to be growing in largely warm temperatures to really thrive so somewhere between 60 degrees and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
So if the weather is colder than this and you notice your Aloe has become red then you should make arrangements to start growing indoors before frost starts occurring.
You can also use a high quality mini greenhouse to keep this plant heated for the winter as well.
This is a cool warning sign so be prepared.
Waterlogged Aloe
Now for some of the bad reasons why your Aloe is turning red and other colors that are not green.
Plain and simple it could be that you’re overwatering your Aloe and this is never a good thing.
This causes rot, mushy leaves and generally is unhealthy to do so for just about every kind of succulent out there, especially Aloe Vera plants.
This can also be the reason why your Aloe Vera turned red and in this case, this is not natural or healthy at all and you need to take a look at your watering habits.
You should only water when the soil you’re using has become virtually dry so you don’t end up with a waterlogged Aloe.
If you’re not actually overwatering then it could be as simple as you’re using poor soil rather than porous soil if you catch my drift.
You may need to take a look at the soil you’re using and make sure it is quality cactus soil with some materials such as Perlite to provide super fast drainage so water won’t sit for long.
Once both of these things are in order, your Aloe Vera will have a chance to return to the normal green hue instead of the unhealthy version of the red color.
This is provide that there isn’t rot yet or if there is that it is dealt with properly.
Repotting stress on an Aloe vera
Another cause for an Aloe vera turning red can be attributed to re-potting stress which occurs when an Aloe isn’t adjusted to a sudden change in environment.
This is completely normal and your Aloe will go straight back to glowing green after some time has passed and your Aloe Vera becomes comfortable in it’s new home.
Just be sure to change nothing else except the pot size and only move up one size so you don’t have wasted soil and room for water to stand unnecessarily.
So as long as you keep the soil, watering, environment and the lighting the same, you can expect your Aloe plant to return to normal after the transplant shock has worn off.
Too much fertilizer
Lastly and probably the least common reason why your Aloe plant turned red can be due to too much fertilizer or during the wrong season.
In this case more isn’t always better and using more and more fertilizer won’t make your Aloe grow any faster or better, in fact you will just cause the plant to turn red at best.
The same will go for if you try doing this during the winter as that is the wrong time to fertilize an Aloe and you can definitely overfeed this succulent by doing that.
Instead you should use less fertilizer than normal for your Aloe Vera and only use it during the growing season such as spring and summer time.
Not during the winter.
It’s just a waste of time and money and will certainly cause problems since Aloes will try and take up all the nutrients and get overfed in the process.
Will my Aloe Plant return to normal?
In virtually all of these scenarios, your Aloe Plant will return to normal and that glowing green hue will be exactly how you want it with some time.
Just go down this list and try to pinpoint which scenario you are involved with and with some time your Aloe plant will return to normal.