Aloe vera is a cactus-like plant that belongs to the genus Aloe. It originates in the Arabian Peninsula and is grown around the world. In many regions, it is even considered an invasive species. For centuries, allow vera has been cultivated for products, including cosmetics, ointments, and skin lotions. The aloe vera leaves contain several plant compounds, amino acids, salicylic acids, sugars, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes.
It is a rich source of vitamins A, C, and E, all of which have antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in our bodies. It contains enzymes like cellulase, lipase, bradykinase, which help reduce inflammation when applied to the skin as a topical. It also includes minerals like magnesium, calcium, copper, selenium, sodium, and zinc which ensures the proper functioning of the metabolic process.
Causes for Yellowing of Aloe Vera Plant
A healthy aloe vera plant has robust, vibrant, and blue-green young leaves. Yellowing of leaves, along with the leaves turning brown and crispy signifies that your plant isn’t doing well. There are many reasons behind the yellowing of the aloe vera plant-
Overwatering- Water is necessary for a plant’s survival but too much water is not beneficial for the plant as it can turn the root system soft and make it prone to fungal and bacterial diseases. Plus, overwatering makes it difficult for the roots to absorb oxygen and nutrient from the soil, which makes the plant incapable of preparing food. This leaves the leaves without any nutrients which causes them to turn yellow, wilt, and then ultimately fall off.
Improper sunlight- The Aloe Vera plant enjoys bright and indirect sunlight. The aloe vera leaves will start turning yellow when it is not getting enough light. An aloe vera plant that has been grown indoors will start turning yellow when its location is changed suddenly from an area with low light conditions to a bright area.
Cold temperature- Aloe vera is native to the desert and can tolerate a range of temperatures in the desert. However, it is sensitive to cold temperatures and suffers major damage when it is not placed in a controlled environment during winter.
How to fix yellowing aloe vera leaves?
Water the plant properly- Aloe vera is a desert plant. Excessive watering can cause a lot of damage. To make sure that you are not overwatering your aloe vera plant, plant it in a pot with drainage holes that can get rid of excess water. Loosen the soil before watering to ensure that the water is not pooling at the top. Also, water the plant only when the soil seems dry. Remember, underwatering can also turn the leaves yellow. Therefore, water the plant properly but sparingly, especially during winter.
Proper application of fertilizer- Improper fertilizer feeding of the aloe vera plant can turn its leave yellow. The leaves of the aloe vera plant can turn yellow when the plant lacks nitrogen and iron. Fertilizer should only be applied at the beginning of summer, during the aloe vera plant’s active growth period.
Proper storage during winter- The aloe vera plant cannot survive in cold conditions as it can cause irreparable tissue damage to the leaves of the plant. Therefore, you must relocate your outdoor aloe vera plants inside where you can control the temperature.
Proper access to sunlight- Both direct and indirect sunlight can cause the yellowing of aloe vera leaves. Make sure that the aloe vera plant has access to indirect yet bright sunlight. Keep changing the plant’s position as the season progresses and even turn the plant to ensure that the entire plant is getting sunlight.
