Aloe Vera is usually such a striking and beautiful plant, it can be worrisome when you notice something isn’t quite right with yours.
If your Aloe Vera is turning pink it may be due to one of several factors, some of which are more serious than others.
Keep reading to learn about the possible reasons behind your Aloe Vera turning pink and discover how to keep it in perfect health!
Aloe Vera turns pink because it is being exposed to excess sun. If your plant is getting too much direct sunlight it will get burnt and start to suffer. Other common reasons behind an Aloe Vera turning pink include improper watering, too much heat, too much salt, and exposure to the cold.
If left with problems for too long, Aloe Vera plants can become more difficult to revive. It’s important to spot issues early and treat them quickly.
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Causes of Aloe Vera Turning Pink
We rely on Aloe Vera for so many different health-related remedies that it can be uncomfortable to see your plant in an unhealthy state itself.
Below, I have outlined the most common causes for Aloe Vera plants turning pink and documented how to fix each problem – FAST!
Sunburn
Whilst Aloe Vera plants do get on well in the sun, there can be too much of a good thing! Placing your Aloe Vera in direct sunlight all day long can cause it a lot of damage.
When sat in direct sunlight, Aloe Vera can get sunburnt. This can lead to a number of problems, but the issue is most visible in its leaves. Leaves can turn pink, red, grey, or brown as a result of sun damage.
How to Fix a Sunburnt Aloe Vera
Whilst there’s no way to actively fix sunburn which has already happened (I’m sure many of us humans wish there was a miracle cure!), it’s possible to prevent it from happening again.
Aloe Vera only needs six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. To avoid the risk of sunburn the best place to put your plant in a room full of light, but where it isn’t always in the sun.
You can use sun diffusers to protect plants on windowsills from too much sun.
Too Much Heat
Aloe Vera does well in temperatures ranging from 55 – 75°F (12.5 – 24°C). However, when it starts to get too hot your plant may suffer.
The biggest reason that heat can have such a negative impact on your Aloe Vera is the poor thing starts to dry out.
If the temperature is too high, and especially if your Aloe hasn’t been watered sufficiently, it will start to show its distress through its leaf color.
An Aloe Vera which is too dry isn’t able to get sufficient nutrients to its leaves, and as a result, may turn pink or brown.
How to Fix Heating Issues
Fixing heating issues is relatively straight forward. Keep an eye on the temperature and if it’s reaching the upper limits (75°F/24°C), make sure to move your plant to a cooler location such as a room without large windows.
If temperatures are high, make sure that your plant is receiving enough water and not drying out.
Improper Watering
Aloe Vera plants don’t require a lot of watering. They are used to going for periods of time with no water. This is great news if you prefer a low maintenance plant!
However, you must water it occasionally, once the top inch of soil has dried out. If you are underwatering your Aloe, it is likely that the leaves will start to change color and eventually go brown.
Overwatering is a bigger problem for Aloe Vera plants because it can cause their roots to rot! This rot can lead to discoloration of the leaves, the may turn a pinkish hue, develop soft spots,or get black spots.
How to Fix Problems with Improper Watering
Primarily, be very careful not to overwater your plant. If the top inch of the soil is still damp, don’t go reaching for the watering can just yet!
Wait for the top inch of soil to dry out completely, and then thoroughly water it. This is the best way to care for your Aloe.
A good tactic is to keep an eye on your plant’s soil and water it when necessary, this way you can avoid both over and underwatering your plant.
You May Also Enjoy: How to Save Overwatered Aloe Plant (Step-by-Step Instructions)
Pest Infestation
There is one main pest that makes itself at home on the Aloe Vera plant. The Aloe Vera Aphid, otherwise known as the Aloe Mite.
These mites are almost imperceptible to the human eye and can cause serious damage to the leaves of your Aloe plant.
They feed on the leaves, normally at the base or in rolled crevices, and secrete a substance that can cause mold to start growing.
The damage caused by Aloe Mites can slow growth, cause stunting, and seriously affect the appearance of the leaves.
Leaves turn pink, brown, and black because the mites feed off the plant’s nutrients and cause mold to grow.
How to Combat a Pest Infestation
If you suspect that your Aloe has been overrun by Aloe Mites, check if you can see any – use a magnifying glass if necessary.
Once you have confirmed the problem, it’s time to get to work before the mites cause more damage.
Insecticidal soap has been shown to be good and organically acceptable was to remove mites and not damage the plant.
Apply the spray when temperatures are low, either in the morning or evening, to prevent the liquid from evaporating too quickly.
Make sure to focus on the underside of leaves and in protected areas, as this is where Aloe Mites like to congregate.
Diseases
Two of the diseases which can lead to an Aloe Vera turning pink are Anthracnose disease and bacterial soft rot.
Anthracnose disease is a fungal disease that thrives in warm, wet weather and spread easily through the water.
It leads to dark spots appearing on the Aloe plant which can develop into pink, red, brown-colored areas.
Bacterial soft rot is a bacterial disease that can be fatal for your aloe. It is caused by overwatering, and water that has accumulated in the plant’s leaves.
It thrives in warm conditions and causes leaves to change color and go soft and squishy.
How to Treat Disease
Anthracnose disease can be treated with a fungicide. After treatment, the fungus should retreat, and you’ll find that your Aloe returns to its healthy green self again.
When it comes to bacterial soft rot, the best thing to do is cut the infected leaves and throw them away.
Be careful that they do not get near other plants, as they could infect them too.
There’s no cure for bacterial soft rot and sometimes the damage can’t be undone, but if you catch it in the early stages and prune sufficiently, you may find that you are able to cut it off in its tracks.
Transplant Shock
Sometimes Aloe Vera can react badly to being transplanted. If you’ve recently moved your plant to a new pot, its leaves may have changed color from shock.
Transplant shock can come from many things, including a change in temperature or soil quality, root damage, a change in the physical location of the pot (for example, suddenly moving it to a sunnier place).
Particularly, the roots of the plant may suddenly find themselves much warmer if you transplanted a baby plant into a pot, and this temperature change can cause them to go into shock.
And it will not deliver sufficient nutrients to the leaves of the plant, causing darkening in color.
How to Recover From Transplant Shock
Don’t give up on your plant! However much you think it may have suffered from being transplanted, they are resilient little things and have a surprising way of bouncing back!
Make sure your plant is not receiving too much direct sunlight, especially if it used to be in a shadier spot.
Make sure to water it appropriately and that it has been planted in the same quality soil as it used to be.
Follow these steps and give your Aloe time – it will perk back up in its new home!
Constricted or Damaged Roots
Roots may become damaged from overwatering, transplanting, or salt exposure. They can become constricted if the Aloe is planted in too small a pot.
Constricted or Damaged Roots will result in a plant that is unable to take sufficient nutrients from the soil to nourish itself currently.
This lack of appropriate nourishment is often visible in every section of the plant but generally affects its extremities first.
This means that the leaves are often first to indicate there’s a problem, and with constricted or damaged roots they may show this by turning red, pink, or brown.
How to Fix Problems with Constricted and Damaged Roots
To rejuvenate the roots, stop further constriction, and limit problems caused by damage, you will first need to carefully remove your Aloe plant from its pot.
Then, using sharp, sterilized scissors or gardening shears, cut off any roots which appear black or soft before replanting it.
You should plant your Aloe Vera in a pot which is three times bigger than the size of the roots. As a result, you may need to transplant your Aloe if the pot isn’t big enough.
Inadequate Light
Whilst Aloe plants can suffer if they receive too much light, they can also become very unhappy if they don’t get enough.
Like all plants, your Aloe Vera needs the specific properties offered by sunlight to carry out photosynthesis, which is essentially “breathing” for plants.
Without photosynthesis, plants die. Therefore, if they’re not getting enough light, the outlook doesn’t look great.
A lack of light, and a plant unable to carry out its natural biological processes, will lead to Aloe Vera leaves wilting, shriveling, becoming squishy or changing color.
They may turn pink, red, or brown depending on the severity of the problem.
How to Fix Issues with Inadequate Light
Try to find an ideal spot for your Aloe: somewhere that doesn’t have direct sunlight all day is generally bright and offers some shade as well.
Certainly, make sure not to hide your Aloe Vera away in a dark corner – not only might it struggle to survive there, but you also won’t be getting the most out of your beautiful plant!
Consider buying an artificial plant light if you don’t have a suitably lit area, these lights mimic sunlight and will provide your Aloe with exactly the right light that it needs.
Too Much Salt
One scenario that can lead to Aloe Vera leaves turning various shades of brown is too much salt in the soil. This tends to happen as a result of overfertilization.
Aloe plants can survive with moderate salinity and only really need feeding a maximum of once a month. Any more than this and the soil is likely to contain a build-up of salt.
Salt is extremely drying, and, as we humans know – it’s not a good idea to ingest too much! The same goes for Aloe Vera plants.
If your soil contains too much salt, the appearance of your plant is going to suffer.
Salt will be brought in via the roots, extending throughout the plant and traveling through the leaves.
This will cause damage to all parts of your plant and it will no longer be the beautiful, fresh, green color that it once was.
How to Fix Too Much Salt
If the soil has salt built up because you’ve been overfertilizing your plant – do not fear!
This can be easily corrected by running plenty of water through the soil. This will wash the salt out.
Make sure that the water drains well during this process as you don’t want to cause root rot.
Alternatively, you could consider transplanting your Aloe into the soil with a more balanced level of minerals.
Fertilize your Aloe plant sparingly, if at all. Make sure not to fertilize it more than once a month, and dilute plant food down in strength.
Cold Drafts
Your Aloe hates getting cold. If temperatures drop below 55°F (12.5°C) your Aloe is going to start reacting badly.
This doesn’t only mean natural cold, like drafts blowing through windows and under doors, it also means that your Aloe will react adversely to air conditioning and fans.
If temperatures change suddenly, your plant can go into shock which makes it struggle to carry out its normal survival processes.
Equally, if the temperature is simply too low, the soil will be too cold for the roots to function effectively.
If your plant is in shock, or the roots aren’t carrying nutrients to the rest of the plant, your Aloe will start looking quite dejected, turning a reddish or pinkish brown.
How to Stop Cold Drafts Affecting Your Aloe Vera
Be aware of where your Aloe Vera plant is. If it’s near a window or a door, it may be sitting in a draft.
Similarly, if it is placed near an air conditioner or fan it may be struggling with the low temperatures and changeable airflow.
Block drafts by using a draft excluder or caulk to fill gaps. If you need to have air conditioning on in the house, make sure that your Aloe plant is not near it.
Final Words
Aloe Vera plants are generally hardy and easy-going. If you’ve noticed that your Aloe is turning pink, it shouldn’t take long to identify the cause and fix the problem.
Your Aloe Vera will be back to perfect health, ready to start caring for you and your family again, in no time!
Have you noticed that your Aloe Vera plant is turning pink? What have you found to be the cause?