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Why Is My Jade Plant Turning Purple? (5 Reasons & Solutions!)

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Has purple – the color of dread – colored your life with the same feeling, as you witness your jade plant turn purple? Have you been wondering why is my jade plant turning purple?

Have you spent countless hours worrying about why is my jade plant turning purple? Well, if so then you’re at the right place because we’ll be answering, why is my jade plant turning purple for you.

Jade plants are famous for their status as easy to care for and grow indoor plants. This is something that attracts not just growers but everyone, however seeing that very same plant unhealthy cab be quite heartbreaking. So, let’s see what can be the reasons why is my jade plant turning purple?

Why Is My Jade Plant Turning Purple 1
Does any one have any tips about purpling leaves of my jade – via Reddit

Why Is My Jade Plant Turning Purple?

Just like all other growers and gardeners, keeping your plants healthy and thriving is probably your top priority. Here are the reasons which might be causing this state of sudden color change in your jade plant:

Watering

Both underwatering and overwatering can be a serious threat to your plant’s life. Overwatering is an absolute no-go for growers, no matter what plant you’re growing.

It can cause the roots to drown and cause a lack of oxygen absorption. In addition to that, it can cause root rot which is deathly for your plant as its roots will get destroyed, making it unable to absorb any nutrients or water.

Have you been noticing your jade plant wilting and wrinkling while also turning purple? This can be because you’ve been underwatering it. When a plant isn’t given the necessary amount of water, its cells start to collapse making it wilt.

All of these factors cause immense stress for the plant triggering it to produce anthocyanins which turn the plant purple.

Light

Light can be a major cause of the purple shade of your jade plant. If you leave your plant under direct sunlight, the leaves will start producing anthocyanin in their surface cells to protect themselves from the sunrays.

Anthocyanin is a great way for plants to protect themselves from UV radiations as they are purple, red, or blue.

An inadequate amount of light can also be harmful, as the plant will stress and again produce anthocyanins, which will color the plant purple, as studies have shown that they promote photosynthesis.

Extreme Temperatures

Just like you, your jade plant is also sensitive to very extreme temperatures. However, unlike you, it can’t wear sweaters or crop tops, so maintaining a comfortable atmosphere temperature-wise is a very important responsibility for you as a grower.

When kept in temperatures extremely high or low for the plants, the peak in stress will again trigger the production of anthocyanins, turning the plant purple.

Nutrients Deficiency

A lack of phosphorous in your plants can cause the leaves to turn reddish-purple. Jade plants in the norm don’t require a lot of fertilizer, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t require any fertilizer at all. If you haven’t fed your plant for around a year, then that could be the reason why it’s turning purple.

Pest And Diseases

The unusual purple color can also be caused by some pests leeching onto your plant or your plant falling victim to disease. Any pest or disease affecting your plant will cause immense stress for the plant, making it turn purple.

Mealy Bugs

They are unmoving white, grey, or brown clusters that can be both fluffy or waxy and are found underneath the leaves. They also turn the plant yellow while it wilts.

Spider Mites

You’ll find small yellow or brown spots on your leaves and webbing underneath the leaves.

Bacterial Soft Rot

The plant will turn mushy and will no longer be able to hold itself up, hence collapsing.

Powdery Mildew

It’ll cause white or grey powdery patches on leaves that will eventually scab.

Why Is My Jade Plant Turning Purple 2
My jade is turning wrinkly and purple 🙁 – via Reddit

Solutions

Watering Routine

Ensuring that you have the necessary details about your plant memorized is very important. You should know the amount of water it needs. Using a watering can with a thinner and longer spout helps in making more accurate measurements of the water you’re adding to your plant.

If you’ve kept your plant underwatered, then you need to start ensuring that you’re watering it enough and should water it around once a week in summers when the transpiration rate is higher and once every two weeks in the winter during the plant’s dormancy state.

If you’ve overwatered your plant, first make sure that the pot that you’re using has drainage holes and then repot it with a fresh, well-draining potting mix.

Lighting

If you’ve exposed your plant to too much or too little sunlight, then you need to make sure that you now place your jade plant in indirect sunlight (near a window) or cover it with a sheer cloth.

Optimal Temperature

The optimal temperature for plants to grow in is around 65°-75°F (18°-24°C), so keep your plant in a friendly atmosphere with accurate temperatures. You can also use grow lights if your natural temperature is too cold for your jade plant.

Plant Food

If you notice a color change and haven’t fed your plant for more than a year, then you need to hurry and purchase a general-purpose house plant fertilizer and feed it to your plant.

Ridding Any Pest Or Disease

To get rid of any pests, use a pesticide, but make sure to only apply it on the infested areas. For bacterial soft rot, the best way is to remove the areas that have been affected while improving air circulation, and treating with fungicide is the way to go for powdery mildew.


Conclusion

To summarize this, we can say that keeping your plant comfortable and healthy can be easily done if you make sure that it doesn’t stress too much by maintaining an accurate routine for your jade plant. Hopefully, now you know exactly how to help your plant regain its beautiful color!