Why Is My Aloe Plant Turning Brown? 5 Things You're Doing Wrong

Aloe vera is one of the hardiest plants out there. This skin-soothing succulent is drought-tolerant and seems to thrive on neglect. However, even this easy-growing houseplant can experience issues, including brown leaves.

It's normal for the occasional plant leaf to turn brown as part of its natural life cycle. If you're wondering why your aloe plant is turning brown, take a good look at it, think about the care and conditions it's getting, and consider the potential causes.

Aloe plants can turn brown for a variety of reasons, like overwatering, underwatering, getting too much sunlight, and pest or disease activity. If you catch the problem early, you can typically remedy the issue and protect your plant from further damage. Here are four reasons your aloe plant might be turning brown and what to do about it.

Overwatering

Too much water is probably the most common reason for an aloe plant's leaves to turn brown. These desert plants store extra moisture in their thick, succulent leaves, so it's easier to overwater than to underwater. If your plant's leaves are yellow or brown and beginning to feel soft or mushy, that's a sure sign of overwatering.

Stop watering your plant and let the soil dry out completely. Remove the affected leaves with a sharp, sterilized blade. Going forward, wait for the soil to dry out fully between waterings and check drip trays and saucers to make sure the plant isn't sitting in water.

You may also want to consider repotting in a terra cotta pot, which can help wick away excess moisture. In severe cases, it's a good idea to repot your plant immediately with a grittier, faster-draining mix with additional coarse sand or perlite for drainage.

Underwatering

Aloe plants can tolerate a lot of neglect, but they're not indestructible. Going a very long time without watering your plant, especially if it gets lots of sun, can cause the leaves to look shriveled or wrinkled and the tips to turn yellow or brown.

If this sounds like your plant, give it a deep watering from the top to allow the soil to get fully saturated—but avoid getting water on the plant's leaves or in its rosette, which can contribute to rotting.

Too Much Light

Despite their love of bright light, it's possible for aloes to get sunburned. Harsh, direct sunlight, such as from a west-facing window, can be too strong even for this rugged plant. Too much sun can cause leaves to develop yellow or brown areas and eventually die back.

Remove affected leaves and relocate the plant to a spot that's further from the light source and out of direct sunlight. Putting up a sheer curtain can help filter bright sunlight that's too strong for many houseplants.

Cold Damage

Brown leaves on aloe can occur if the plant is exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees for an extended period of time. The sudden shift in temperature combined with damage from cold temperatures can discolor and damage leaves. The same goes for aloe plants kept outdoors if you weren't able to bring them in before a light frost.

Even an aloe plant with severe cold damage can bounce back with the right care and conditions. Put affected aloe plants in a warm place with medium to bright indirect light. Cut away the damaged leaves, which may appear discolored, soft, or translucent. Hold off on watering for several days, then begin to integrate watering back into the plant's care routine.

Pests or Diseases

Insect pests and plant diseases can affect aloes and cause leaves to develop brown patches. Pests even appear as brown spots themselves.

Scale, a sucking insect, looks like tiny, flat, brown ovals on the surface and undersides of your plant's leaves. Use a cotton ball or swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to dab scale away, then treat plants with neem oil or insecticidal soap to prevent their return.

There are also plant diseases that can affect an aloe plant's leaves and cause them to develop brown spots. Fungal infections like aloe rust can cause dry, brown patches, while anthracnose disease creates pitted, rusty-brown spots.

Remove infected leaves with sterilized pruners, dispose of plant parts in the trash, and sterilize your pruners again afterward. Treat fungal infections with an organic houseplant fungicide. Be sure to water the soil surface directly and keep leaves dry, which can help prevent fungal diseases going forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I fix my brown aloe plant?

Check the soil moisture and examine your plant for indications of overwatering, underwatering, pests, or disease. Remove affected leaves and adjust the plant's care or conditions based on the cause.

Should I cut the brown leaves off my aloe plant?

It's fine to remove the occasional brown leaf from your aloe plant, but several or all of your plant's leaves turning brown probably indicates an issue. Adjust your plant's care or conditions to treat the issue, then remove severely affected leaves with sterilized scissors or pruners.

What does overwatered aloe look like?

An overwatered aloe plant's leaves will begin to turn yellow or brown. They also may appear slightly translucent and feel soft or mushy to the touch.

Read Next: How to Propagate Aloe Vera

Read the original article on The Spruce.