Software
Houzz Logo Print
lmecheverri

jade leaves turning dark red

6 years ago

i came back from a long trip to find some of my jade plants with their leaves turning dark red or maroon. they did need water so i watered them. is this due to lack of water or what is the cause? i like them better bright green. they are located next to a window and get plenty of sun light. i am in Massachusetts.

Comments (7)

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Most 'all green' jades gets red color on margins if they get good light, and that is desirable by most. If there is lots of light, whole leaf can get darker, reddish color. There are also varieties of jades that have darker color. They will also darken with little/inadequate water since they could be stressed, but it will not kill them. Especially if you watered already.

    Polypompholyx is correct that inadequate light will cause etiolation - so don't put them too far away from that window...Your plants looks quite good to me :)

  • 6 years ago

    Personally, I like them to have a bit of red on the edges of the leaves. That indicates they are getting a healthy amount of light.

  • 6 years ago

    In your case it seems to be a mix of the more intense light and lack of water. Normally in bright light they will get red edges. The leaves tend to turn all the way burgundy when they lack water. Your leaves look very deflated. The extra sun also probably caused them to dry out quicker, so they probably really dry when you got back.


    Like others have said I like the red edges. That indicates a happy jade plant.


    In some varieties like Crosby's Compact it does not take as much light to get the leaves to get red edges. It actually gets yellow, orange & red in full sun. Yours appears to be the non-varietal species, so it should turn back to mostly green with that water you gave it.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    The immediate cause is a stronger than usual expression of the purple pigment, anthocyanin. The underlying potential cause that jumps out would be a cool soil. Did you turned the heat way down while you were away? If so, that could be the cause. Reason: It's difficult for most plants to assimilate (P)hosphorous as phosphate when soil temps are in the 50s (Farenheit) or lower. P is required to make ATP and ATP is needed to turn sugars to starch, and is essential to loading of sugar into phloem tissue for transport throughout the plant. No P = no ATP = no move sugars/starches = anthocyanin (purple pigment) builds up = plant turns purple. Typically, areas of a plant that are genetically predisposed to turning purple would present first, but higher concentrations of the purple pigment wouldn't necessarily be limited to the predisposed parts. That you have entire leaves turning purple is a good indication that something is limiting P uptake. High levels of Ca in the soil solution can also limit P uptake, so as the soil dries down, Ca concentrations in the soil solution increase. Either factor can work individually or in concert to cause the symptoms.

    Al


  • 6 years ago

    Jades getting good light have nearly cupped (upward facing) leaves with red edges. This is the typical appearance in areas where they can be grown outdoors.

  • 6 years ago

    It is completely normal for this to happen. I have a different variety of jade ”Crassula Ovata” and it‘s tips are red but it is otherwise healthy. I agree with the first commenter about more sun causing this.