June 23, 2025, 10:55 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Yellow leaves are rarely a good sign for plants. If the tips of an aloe vera plant start to discolor, it may be due to the following care mistakes.
Although the Aloe Vera is an extremely low-maintenance plant, there are still several mistakes you can make. Watering, fertilizing, or the location can be crucial. Here are six common care mistakes that can lead to yellow tips in Aloe Vera.
1. Mistake: Too Much Water
As a succulent, Aloe Vera stores a lot of water in its leaves. A common mistake that can lead to yellow tips is watering the plant too often and too generously. However, it doesn’t need that much water–quite the opposite: As a thick-leaved plant, Aloe Vera is designed to withstand long dry periods without any problems. Watering too frequently can lead to root rot, which in turn results in soft and yellow leaves.
In such a case, it can help to repot the plant in fresh, well-draining soil. The soil should always dry out completely between waterings. You can easily check if the top layer of soil is dry with a finger test–only then should you water again. When in doubt, it’s better to skip watering once than to give too much water.
2. Mistake: No Drainage
Almost no plant tolerates waterlogging–Aloe Vera included. As mentioned, it should be watered sparingly. However, if the plant is in impermeable, heavy soil and lacks a drainage layer, the likelihood of root rot increases significantly.
When planting or repotting, it’s essential to pay attention to the right substrate. It should be permeable, low in nutrients, and as mineral as possible. A drainage layer can be easily created by laying old clay shards or gravel at the bottom of the pot.
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3. Mistake: Too Much Direct Sunlight
Yellow tips can also occur in Aloe Vera if it is in an unsuitable location. If it gets too much direct sunlight, yellow to reddish-brown discolorations can appear. Although the plant generally tolerates a full-sun spot, it should be gradually and slowly accustomed to the intense sun rays.
4. Mistake: Too Dark a Location
In addition to a spot in full sun, Aloe Vera can also thrive in partial shade. However, if the location is too dark, it can lead to slow growth and yellow spots on the leaves.
5. Mistake: Too Hard Water
If you use only hard water for watering, Aloe Vera can develop lime chlorosis. The high lime content in the water also increases the lime content in the soil. This, in turn, makes it difficult for the plant to absorb nutrients–yellow tips are the result. If lime chlorosis is suspected, the substrate should be completely replaced, and the plant should be placed in fresh, low-lime soil.
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6. Mistake: Too Much Fertilizer
As a succulent, Aloe Vera requires only a few nutrients to grow and thrive. However, if it is fertilized too often, over-fertilization can occur, which manifests itself, among other things, in yellow tips. In this case, the plant should be placed in fresh soil. After that, it is sufficient to provide it with special cactus fertilizer only once in the spring.