Jade Plant Leaves Turning Red | Why Does This Happen?

Jade Plant Leaves Turning Red

If you’re used to seeing luscious green foliage then you suddenly notice your Jade plant leaves turning red, it can be quite unsettling. Especially if you don’t know why this is happening or if it could be damaging to your plant. Maybe you like the look of the red foliage and want to encourage it but you want to make sure your plant isn’t being damaged. Whatever the reason, you’re here to find out why your Jade plant leaves are turning red and we’re here to help.

The main causes are:

• Too much sun
• Too little water
• Too little fertiliser

Let’s take a look at each of these in turn.

Too Much Sun Turning Jade Plant Leaves Red

The main cause of Jade plant leaves turning red is that they’re receiving too much sun. Jade plants typically like bright light and will thrive under these conditions but they don’t always like direct sunlight. In fact just like humans, Jade plants can be sunburned by strong intense sunlight. This isn’t necessarily something to worry about. If the tips are turning a rich reddish colour but your plant seems otherwise healthy, as in the leaves are still plump, they’re not shrivelling, the stems stand upright then you probably don’t need to worry. If you don’t the look of the red foliage then move your plant away from the light source, but if your plant seems healthy with these red leaves and you like the look then just leave it where it is.

And if anything this might be a better problem to have as too little light can cause Jade plants to become leggy and no one wants to prune a leggy Jade plant in an attempt to make it bushier. We want nice full happy plants.

Too Little Water Turning Jade Plant Leaves Red

Too little water can also be a cause of Jade plant leaves turning red and again this might not be a bad thing. Jade plants are meant to be drought tolerant, they’re used to getting little water. If you allow your plant to dry out between waterings then water it thoroughly, it has well draining soil and drainage holes, and it’s still turning red then this may not be a bad thing. It’s only a problem when you notice the leaves of your plant turning brown, they’re starting to shrivel up and fall off or your stems are drooping over. This is when you know you have a problem. If its simply that the Jade plant leaves are turning red but the plant still seems healthy then your plant may be just fine.

Too Little Fertiliser

If you aren’t adding fertiliser to your plant this could be a cause of Jade plant leaves turning red as too little nutrients in the soil can have this effect. If you don’t like the red on your leaves and you’re not feeding your plant then maybe it’s time to start. Try using a half strength fertiliser once a fortnight during Spring, Summer and Autumn and you should notice that the red begins to slow. (Assuming that your plant is getting enough water and not too much sunlight)

Now we’ve looked at the causes you can decide whether your plant is healthy, whether you like the red, whether you want to keep it and you can adjust your plant care depending on your answers to these questions.

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