When cactuses don’t get enough water, they can become pink. The life of a cactus won’t often be in danger if it turns pink. For the cactus to get back to normal, you might wish to water it more frequently. A cactus has to be watered once or twice a week on average to stay healthy. When exposed to sunlight, certain cactus species even spontaneously change color to pink.
Why is the plant on my cactus becoming red?
Cactus are tough plants that are used to harsh conditions. Your cactus may, however, start to become red if certain environmental stressors are present.
This is a symptom that something is wrong with your plant, yet it does not necessarily mean it is harmful. The good news is that you can restore your plant’s original color by altering its care and getting rid of the stressor.
When stressed by alterations in the environment, such as too much heat, too much sun, or a lack of water, cacti will turn red. In addition to these, pathogenic infections and root infections can also cause the color of your cactus to change to red.
The treatments offered will assist the plant in returning to its original color because the red signifies that the plant’s natural defense systems are in use.
Why is the color of my cactus changing?
Some symptoms can indicate major issues that could ultimately cause your plant to die. In case you still have time to save your cactus, make careful to take action as soon as you see any of these symptoms.
Discoloring
Cacti plants typically begin to lose their natural color when under stress or pressure. The discoloration may start at the top end of stem segments or from the plant’s base, depending on where the true problem is.
Death is almost certain if you do not act quickly in cases of severe discolouration.
Your plant become wobbly
If your cactus has started to sway, you should be concerned as this is an obvious indicator of root rot. Remember that since succulents grow slowly, indications of underlying issues manifest gradually as well.
It’s possible that the roots have already become irreparably rotting by the time you notice the symptoms.
The cactus may already be in a serious condition if the base of your plant has turned yellow or brown.
One of the most frequent causes of cactus death is by far root rot. A lack of rigidity and turgidity in the plant’s leaves and stem is a common symptom of root rot.
Take your plant off the ground, find all the rotting roots, and cut them off to try and save it.
Depending on the degree of rot, rotten roots could seem brown or even blackish, whereas healthy roots would be pale in color.
Presence of soft segments around the plant
Most often, stem sections will appear fragile and swollen along with discoloration. These pieces are easily breakable with little effort.
Pulling a spine off is the simplest approach to determine whether there are any soft segments around your plant. You should be concerned if it comes off without any effort and slips off easily.
Fungal infection
Another indication that a cactus plant is dying is a fungus infection. Fungal infections are simple to spot since they cause lacerations in the cactus plant’s tissues. Any area of the exterior tissue, including the areolae, can get lacerated.
There are several various forms and hues of fungi, but there are only two that are widespread.
A fungal infection is indicated by the presence of brown dents on the plant’s exterior tissue that are rounded in most places like half-moons. Another indication of a fungus infection is the formation of white-gray patches.
Despite not being as harmful as root rot, fungus infections on the aerial section of the plant are nevertheless detrimental.
Spraying your plant with a natural fungicide is the best approach to stop future harm caused by such illnesses. To cure such infections, the majority of people prefer using tea tree oil diluted in water.
As an alternative, you could soak the impacted regions in alcohol for until long is necessary. Consider chopping off the afflicted region and sterilizing the wound, but only if the infection was too serious and has already harmed a portion of your plant.
Foul smell coming from your plant
You should be concerned if your cactus plant starts to smell awful because this is a warning indicator. Foul smell means that a significant part of the plant is completely rotten, and there is probably nothing you can do to save it.
In other words, your plant is dead and no longer in the process of dying. If you still need a cactus plant around, your only option in this situation is to get rid of the old one and buy a new one.
What causes a succulent to turn pink?
You might get really concerned if the succulent in your home turns pink because you think it might be dying.
In reaction to environmental conditions, succulents turn pink. It typically takes quite a bit of stress for some of the hardiest and most durable houseplants to change the color of their foliage.
You must keep in mind that succulents adapt to their settings, and when these environments or their care undergo unexpected changes, they will react since they do not handle sudden change well.
The most frequent stressors that lead to the pinking of succulents include excessive or insufficient sunlight, incorrect watering, root rot, temperature shifts, and nutrient deficiencies.
Too much sunlight
One of the most frequent causes of your succulent turning pink is because it is suddenly exposed to more light than it has ever experienced, which causes sunburn.
The foliage will turn pink as a result of this sunburn. Succulents that have been kept indoors for months and are suddenly moved to the outdoor garden frequently experience this. The succulent plant may experience some shock when exposed to the bright light on its leaves.
If your succulent is positioned too close to a glass window, the glass will magnify the sun’s rays before they reach the leaf of the plant, which is another way it can get sunburned. Plants placed in windows facing the south frequently do this.
Remedy
Transfer your plant to a new location where it may only receive indirect light for six hours each day, such as a patio or one foot away from a west-facing window, to correct this discolouration brought on by too much sunlight.
If you intend to move an indoor plant to your outside garden, acclimate the plant gradually by progressively increasing the amount of time it spends in the light each day. Up until the plant has completely adapted to its new environment, keep up the acclimatization.
If you give your succulent a few days to adjust to increasing amounts of light, it won’t suffer from sun damage and you should be able to keep its green hue.
Not enough light
When a succulent receives less light than it requires daily, this might also cause it to turn pink.
When certain succulent plants are under stress from insufficient light, such as some cacti, anthocyanins are produced. The pinkish color of the plant’s leaves is caused by the combination of the purple pigment anthocyanin and the green pigment chlorophyll.
Keep in mind that succulents require sunshine to survive and operate normally. They cannot undertake photosynthesis without it, which prevents them from growing their own food.
The yellowing of a succulent that isn’t getting enough light can be easily remedied. Simply move it to a location where it will have access to the constant, brilliant indirect light that it requires.
Overwatering
Your succulent is receiving too much water, which is another cause of its pinking.
This might be the case if you water it more frequently than you should or if you give it more water than it requires each time. In any case, this causes overwatering, which causes root rot.
The condition known as root rot is brought on by a plant’s roots spending an extended period of time drowning in damp soil. The decaying dead roots will start to attract opportunistic infections like fungus and bacteria. As a result of these diseases, the rot will spread more quickly and eventually kill the entire plant.
The leaves on your plant may become yellow, pink, red, or brown and become soft and mushy to the touch as a sign that it is overwatered.
The wrong potting mix might also contribute to overwatering. Succulents want potting soil that is porous and airy so that water and air may easily pass through it. Additionally, if the pot you use doesn’t have drainage holes at the bottom, this can also result in an accumulation of water that can cause root rot.
You must immediately stop watering your succulent if you notice that it may be turning pink from overwatering.
Take the plant out of the pot, then wash the roots to remove as much of the old soil as you can. So as not to harm the delicate roots, go slowly. Examine all of the roots, and using sterile scissors, remove any areas that have gone brown or black.
After that, place the plant on a clean piece of paper towel and let it air dry for a few hours.
Prepare a fresh container with drainage holes at the bottom, and fill it two-thirds with new succulent-specific potting soil.
After putting the plant in the middle of the dirt, add more potting soil to fill the container up. Gently tap the ground close to the plant’s roots.
The soil won’t need any additional moisture; it’s already damp. Before watering the newly potted plant, wait at least a week.
Check the top two inches of soil with your finger before watering your plant to prevent overwatering. If the soil is humid, wait one or two days before examining it again. If the soil is dry, water it.
Underwatering
Although it may not be as harmful as overwatering, underwatering can nonetheless result in your succulent turning pink.
A succulent’s foliage will first turn pink, then purple, and then turn brown if it does not receive enough water. The leaves will wrinkle and get crispy as they dry out.
Fortunately, a succulent that has been underwater is much simpler to cure than one that has been overwatered.
To restore the succulent to health, you will need to wet and dry it. Water the plant five times with water that is equal to the volume of the pot when the soil is completely dry.
After watering the soil, wait until the top two inches feel dry to the touch before watering it again.
A succulent only has to be watered on a regular basis when the soil is dry. By doing this, you can prevent your plant from being both overwatered and underwatered.
Changes in temperature
Your succulent may also be becoming pink since you are subjecting it to temperatures that are far higher than they are accustomed to.
This might be because the plant is in direct, unfiltered sunlight, it’s next to a radiator, or it’s located where a heater is blowing heated air directly at it.
The plant will release anthocyanin as a result of the heat stress, which is, as previously said, a purplish pigment that takes on a pink hue when combined with chlorophyll in the plant.
Your succulent may have tissue damage as a result of excessive heat, which may impair photosynthesis and produce more discoloration.
The plant will also experience temperature stress and develop pink discolouration if it is placed in an area where it will be hit by cold air, such as next to an air conditioner or a door or window that allows in cold drafts.
Simply move your plant to a location where it won’t be exposed to extremes of heat or cold to correct any discolouration brought on by temperature variations.
A room that is between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for keeping an indoor succulent.
Nutrient deficiency
When plants are deficient in certain elements, such as phosphorus, nitrogen, or magnesium, succulents can also turn pink.
For instance, phosphorus is required by succulents in order to synthesize the sugars and nucleic acids that serve as their source of energy.
Along with turning pink, other symptoms of nutritional shortage include wilting and yellowing.
Because the succulent’s soil will eventually get devoid of nutrients and minerals if you wait too long to repot it, this might also result in nutrient deficit.
What causes my succulent to turn red?
Are there several types of stress in succulents—good stress and negative stress? Yes. In general, a healthy plant under stress will retain its original form and characteristics while changing its color. A troubled, stressed-out plant will appear warped, malformed, or merely sickly.
Knowing the type of plant you have will assist you identify any problems it may be having. When subjected to intense heat or direct sunlight, some succulent plants develop scarlet tips on their leaves. The plant produces a crimson pigment (carotenoids) on its leaf to withstand the intense heat and shield itself from sunburn. We can refer to this as “positive stress” because it enhances the beauty and color of the plant rather than harming it.
However, reddish tinges on the leaves and stems of succulent plants may indicate an insect infestation, such as spider mites, which leave red stains on the plant. Additionally, the leaves would be crooked, which would indicate that something was amiss with the plant. We can refer to this as “bad stress” because the plant is genuinely suffering, and you must act quickly to preserve it.
If your plant starts to take on a reddish tint, check to see if this is a natural occurrence or if the plant is being bothered by something else.
Some plants respond well to intense light, scorching heat, and extreme aridity by turning a lovely shade of yellow-orange. This is how the plant defends itself from the harsh environmental circumstances. Because the plant is not in distress and you don’t need to act right away, this is “positive stress.”
On the other hand, excessive watering or soil that is always damp might cause a plant to turn yellow. You’ll see that the leaves have begun to discolor and have also become squishy and mushy. It’s important to address this “bad stress” before it gets worse.
Unlike “bad stress,” “good stress” is not accompanied by symptoms or indicators that the plant is in distress, such as squishy leaves.
Under “positive stress,” several plants, including the Echeveria “black prince” and the Aeonium arboreum “Zwartkop” (Black Rose), change to a lovely hue of dark purple to black. These same plants will lose their lovely coloring and turn green if you pamper them, put them in the shade, and water them frequently.
However, if you notice that some of your succulents are going black from the bottom up and losing their leaves, this is unquestionably a sign of “bad stress.” When a plant rots from the root up, this is when it. The stems decay and the leaves turn black. If you don’t respond quickly, you risk losing the plant.
Knowing your plants well enough to determine if they are experiencing good or bad stress doesn’t take much time. You would eventually be able to distinguish between them.
The one with green foliage is newly potted in new potting soil and kept in the shade.
The third tree, which has crimson leaves, receives little water and has less fertile soil.
As more water and shade are provided, the leaves become lighter and greener, as seen in the second shot.
The most recent was taken following a particularly wet winter. The plant’s darker purplish coloration has been removed, and it has become more green.