Houseplant lovers love having an aloe vera plant in their home. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, this plant has many medicinal properties. Aloe leaves turning purple is a less common problem you may face if you have an aloe vera plant.
You don’t have to worry about this problem. There are simple solutions to this problem which I always share with my friends and family.
Aloe leaves that turn purple indicate that you are trying to adapt to the stressful situation. Several factors could be responsible for this color change, including excessive sun exposure, temperature fluctuations, overwatering, phosphorus deficiency, and transplant shock.
You can revive the rich green color with a few basic care practices.
Some indoor growers enjoy the purple color of aloe at the moment. But you can harm your aloe vera if there’s a serious cause, like overwatering.
So, let’s dive into the details of the cause and see how to fix them.
5 Causes of Aloe Leaves Turning Purple and How to Fix Them
In this article, I will talk about 5 common causes of aloe leaves turning purple.
And also how to fix them so you can enjoy your aloe vera with a rich natural green color.
You can also enjoy: Why is my Aloe Vera plant turning dark green?
1. Too Much Sun Exposure Turns Aloe Leaves Purple
You already know that the aloe vera plant thrives in natural light. But you should not stay in the semi-shaded area. In spring and summer, the heat of the sun can kill your aloe vera.
If you let your aloe tan for a few days in the fall and winter, your aloe plant will begin to show symptoms. Overexposure to the sun can cause sunburn symptoms, such as leaves turning purple or red.
You might be wondering why this color change is happening. Well, you already know that chlorophyll makes plant leaves green. And in the fall, aloe enters a period of dormancy or dormancy.
At this point, aloe vera reduces the process of photosynthesis or food preparation. As a result, the chlorophyll breaks down and the dominant green color disappears.
Then other colors such as red, purple or purple-brown appear due to the production of anthocyanins.
How to fix
Leaves that turn purple in the fall are not harmful to aloe vera. You can easily revive the green color.
Just make sure it’s not exposed to direct sunlight for too long. If you left it outside, put it back in the shade. Wait a few days, water moderately and your aloe vera will turn green again.
2. Fluctuations in temperature can cause aloe leaves to turn purple.
Your aloe vera changes color due to temperature changes! Cool isn’t it? Temperature fluctuations affect the intensity of color change.
When the temperature drops drastically, the production of anthocyanins increases. This makes color changes visible.
At low temperatures, chlorophyll begins to break down as food production drops to a minimum. Thus, the green color begins to fade, and the violet color becomes dominant.
How to fix
Aloe vera generally does well above 50°F (10°C) and below 86°F (30°C). So try to keep it between that temperature range.
In the winter, when the temperature drops below 50°F (10°C), bring the aloe vera to a room where the temperature is comfortable.
Important!
Do not store near the radiator. Dry air will damage your aloe vera.
3. Overwatering causes color changes in Aloe Vera leaves
Overwatering is the most common and dangerous mistake for indoor growers. Overwatering can kill aloe vera.
Too much moisture in the potting mix will cause the leaves to turn yellow or brown. Along with other factors, overwatering is responsible for purple aloe leaves.
Standing water creates a favorable environment for root rot and other fungal diseases. You won’t notice any symptoms until you reach a point where it becomes difficult to save your plant.
You may also like: Aloe leaves turn black (7 causes and how to fix it)
How to fix
If the leaves turn purple, water moderately. Use only settled water and water at room temperature.
Tap water contains different types of salts that make soil nutrients unavailable to the root system.
Always provide a good drainage system for your aloe vera pot. Use soil with good drainage.
Regularly check the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. You need to make sure these holes are working properly to drain excess water.
4. Lack of phosphorus causes aloe leaves to turn purple.
Aloe vera needs nutrients for it to function properly. It lets you know by showing external symptoms such as purple leaves. A phosphorus deficiency causes aloe leaves to turn purple.
Just because your aloe vera lacks phosphorus doesn’t mean there isn’t phosphorus in your potting soil.
Many factors can be responsible for a phosphorus deficiency. Soil pH, low temperatures, wet soils, and aloe vera diseases are common causes of the plant’s lack of phosphorus.
How to fix
First you need to know if your aloe vera is healthy or free from any type of disease. Then review your maintenance practices, soil moisture, temperature, optimal soil pH, etc.
So, if you find irregularities in your health practice, you must address them first. But you thought everything was fine and your aloe vera leaves are still turning purple? This time, consider adding phosphorus to the soil.
There are phosphorus fertilizer blends on the market. Bone meal, wood ash, manure and seaweed can also be excellent sources of organic phosphorus.
Source: Pennsylvania State Expansion
5. Aloe vera plant may turn purple due to transplant shock
Regular transplanting of aloe vera is a common practice to maintain its healthy and tall growth. So if you’ve done this before, you may have noticed that aloe vera goes through a process of adaptation.
It may take some time for your aloe to adjust to new soil and establish its root system there. During this period, aloe vera may show color changes in the leaves.
Since the root system cannot absorb nutrients and water for a few days, the leaves may turn purple. Additionally, the leaves may also turn yellow or brown.
How to fix
You don’t have to worry about the impact of the transplant. As is quite normal after transplanting, the plant will experience this shock.
Since aloe vera is a hardy plant, it can absorb this shock more easily than other plants. You only give it a few days to adjust to the changes.
Water the plant regularly and again make sure that excess water drains from the soil. Pay attention and your aloe will revive eye-soothing green in no time.
Here is a useful video on aloe vera care:
conclusion
Indoor growers love aloe vera for its rich green color. Aloe vera leaves can change color due to many factors related to care practices. Aloe vera turning purple is not something to worry about. Just follow the recommendation above, your aloe will be fine.
I’m curious how you deal with your aloe vera leaves turning purple? Let me post a comment below.
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