Leggy Aloe Vera | What Can You Do?

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Leggy Aloe Vera

Aloe vera are popular plants due to their interesting succulent appearance, the fact they’re easy to care for and their links to health and wellness. They’re famous for their unusual look of growing straight up with brilliant firm stems almost like a snake plant but one of the first signs that something is wrong with this plant is when these stems start to droop, the plant loses its bushiness and you’re left with a leggy aloe vera plant. Not only does this not look great, but it also indicates that something is seriously wrong in the plant’s environment. So let’s take a look at what causes a leggy aloe vera plant and what we can do about it.

Too Little Light

The first main cause of a leggy aloe vera is too little light. Aloe vera is a plant that just loves sunlight, they will do well in a south or west facing windowsill and will generally tolerate being in direct sunlight for most of the day. (This isn’t always true and sometimes the sun may be too strong but your plant will tell you by becoming slightly ‘sunburned.’)

So if your plant is in dim spot or it isn’t getting access to direct sunlight then it’s very likely that this is the cause or your leggy aloe vera. If this is the case then try moving it to a sunny spot to see if this helps with the issue. This may not fix stems that have already started to elongate and droop but it should keep new growth looking strong and firm.

Don’t Overwater Your Aloe Vera

Another thing that can give your aloe vera a leggy appearance and cause the stems to droop and separating is overwatering your plant. Aloe vera are used to growing in very dry, arid conditions where they have learnt to conserve water in their stems. If you overwater this plant they will take in too much moisture which causes these stems to soften and fall. Two signs of overwatering are wet or damp soil and the stems feeling squishy to the touch. If you’re experiencing either of these then it’s likely overwatering is the culprit.

Instead make sure you allow the soil to dry out fully between waterings. If this is something you struggle with then you can try using a moisture probe like this one from amazon. You simply insert the probes in the soil and get a moisture reading. With an aloe vera plant it’s good to wait until the probe reads 1 or 2 before rewatering it to make sure you’re not overwatering your plant.

Trim Leggy Aloe Vera

If your aloe vera is already leggy then even with the changes to its environment, you won’t be able to undo the damage already done. If this is the case then a great option is to trim away the leggy or droopy stems. If you’re going to do this it’s important you use a pair of sharp clean scissors and make your cut as close to the stem as possible. Once you have taken the cut don’t allow dirt or water to get into the wound and allow the plant to heal itself in the sun. If you notice cut area turning black then it’s important you cut this away as it could be the first signs of rot.

Hopefully this has helped you know what to do with a leggy aloe vera plant. If you still have problems then tell us in the comments and try to include as much detail as possible.

Article: Leggy Aloe Vera Plant