You want your kalanchoe plant to thrive in your home. These are pretty plants that bring their owners a lot of joy.
It’s common to put these plants in various rooms in your home. They’re colorful and they add a lot of charm to any area where they’re present.
If your plant is starting to look unusual, you’re likely going to be worried that something went wrong. For instance, you might notice that the leaves are starting to turn red.
What does this mean? Is it an indication that you’ve done something wrong while caring for the plant?
Keep reading to learn about why kalanchoe leaves turn red. This will ensure that you understand what to do so you can care for your plant optimally moving forward.
1 – Problems with the Soil
Your kalanchoe plant might be sitting in bad soil right now. There are a few things that could be wrong that will impact the color of the leaves.
The soil could be nutrient-deficient. This means that the plant isn’t getting what it needs to thrive.
It’s also possible that the soil might not drain properly. When the soil doesn’t drain well it can create problems with the plant not drying out between watering sessions.
Be sure to use well-draining soil for your kalanchoe plant. It’s also best to buy soil that is nutrient-rich so the plant can thrive in your home.
You can create your own soil mixture or you can buy soil from a garden center. Just be sure that it drains well and contains nutrients that will help your kalanchoe plant to stay healthy.
2 – Watering Issues
Have you been watering your kalanchoe plants enough? It’s important to water these plants without going overboard.
Kalanchoe plants are susceptible to issues such as root rot. This is true for most plants, but kalanchoe plants are very sensitive to overwatering issues.
Because of this, some people avoid watering kalanchoe plants. You might water the plant a bit less often than you should.
The lack of water might cause the leaves to change color. This could be the reason behind the leaves becoming red or having a red tint.
Ideally, you want to water these plants when the top two inches of the soil has become dried. You should check the plant a few times per week to see if it needs to be watered.
Indoor kalanchoe plants usually only need to be watered once every ten days or so. Outdoor kalanchoe plants are fairly drought-tolerant, but they’re supposed to receive an inch of water per week.
Whenever you water these plants, you’re supposed to do so thoroughly. Water indoor plants until you can see water coming out of the drainage holes.
Be sure to empty the dish after ten or twenty minutes. Do not let these plants sit in water.
3 – Lighting Issues
Sometimes an abundance of sunlight will cause plants to change color. Kalanchoe plants are succulents and these types of plants are known to have their colors change a bit due to sunlight exposure.
Kalanchoe plants need a lot of sunlight under normal circumstances. It could be that the plant is receiving even more sunlight than it needs.
Perhaps you are exposing the plant to direct sunlight. If the sunlight is too harsh, this could be the reason why the leaves are turning red.
You could change things and give the plant indirect sunlight instead. This should make it easier to maintain the standard green color of the leaves.
4 – Temperature Problems
Issues with the temperature can cause kalanchoe plants to become stressed. You likely know that these plants don’t do well in cold weather.
Kalanchoe plants cannot tolerate cold temperatures. If things are colder than usual, the plant might change color due to stress.
It’s common for these plants to have their leaves close up as a response to temperatures that are too low or too high. The stress might cause the color of the leaves to become red.
Ideally, you want the temperature to be between 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 degrees Fahrenheit for these plants. It’s easy to keep the temperature in the right range when caring for these plants indoors.
The temperature might fluctuate quite a bit if you’re keeping the plants outdoors, though. These plants shouldn’t be planted outdoors unless you’re in the appropriate USDA hardiness zone where these plants thrive.
It should also be noted that you need to keep houseplants away from drafty windows or vents. Perhaps your kalanchoe plant is too close to an air conditioning unit and that is causing it to feel stressed.
5 – Using Fertilizer Too Much
Using fertilizer more than you’re supposed to will stress the plant. It can make it so that the kalanchoe will be less healthy.
Sometimes using fertilizer when the plant is stressed will cause strange things to occur. It’s not unusual for succulents to turn red when they’re given too much fertilizer.
Only use fertilizer when the plant needs it. Kalanchoe plants should be given fertilizer only once per month during the growing season and not at all during its dormant time.
When you fertilize the plants, it’s best to follow the instructions carefully. You want to dilute the fertilizer as instructed to avoid harming the plant.
Perhaps you didn’t follow the instructions when using the fertilizer. This could be what caused the leaves to turn red.
Be more careful moving forward to avoid such issues. Fertilizer is good for kalanchoe plants, but too much of it can be detrimental.
Final Thoughts
You’ve learned about many reasons why kalanchoe leaves might turn red. There are several things that could be happening with your houseplant.
It might be that there are issues with the soil. You could need soil that drains better or has more nutrients.
Watering issues can sometimes be to blame as well. The plant could be getting more sunlight than needed.
Using too much fertilizer is a common issue, too. You always need to be careful not to go too far when fertilizing plants.
Use the information above to make changes to what you’re doing. It should help you to get your kalanchoe back to normal.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.