How to Make Succulents Colorful?
Updated: November 25, 2024
In most cases, succulents are green in color. But these lovely houseplants are quite versatile. They can change color or take up shades of other colors like red, blue, purple, etc.
Do you wish to have a colorful succulent garden showcasing succulents with red tips, or multi-colored succulents? Why settle for only green aeoniums or crassula? You can make your aloes, kalanchoes, sempervivums, echeverias, sedums, and euphorbias display other vibrant colors to make your garden lit up and look lively. Take the case of devotion echeveria. This plant is an excellent option for red velvet echeveria indoors. It is naturally burgundy red and is popular as a red velvet succulent.
Colorful succulent arrangements look extremely attractive, making you proud as a gardener. This is a guide to help you with coloring succulents. All your doubts and queries like, "why is my succulent turning red, purple, or yellow?" can you change the color of succulents," etc. will be addressed here.
For everything you need to know about succulents, you can keep on reading this space because we cover all topics relevant to succulents here. You will get to know about various aspects like Why your succulents are losing their leaves, how to identify succulents, echeveria care, succulent tipping over, etc.
How to Make Succulents Change Color?
The key to having colors is to stress the succulents. It means offering your houseplants something more or less than they need in terms of the growing conditions. For example, the stressed succulents start to deviate from their native green color by overwatering or underwatering. Similarly, exposing the plants to more or less sun or higher or lower temperatures. Then, there are food dye succulents - people add food coloring too to color their succulents.
Basically, changing the environmental conditions impacts the succulents and the green part of the plant; that is, the leaves or the stems undergo color changes. So, if you are wondering, "why are my succulents turning red." the answer is that it undergoes stress with the changes in the surroundings or the conditions being provided to the plant. There are chemical changes in the plant cells that force a change in color from green to red. So, the succulent leaves turning red can also be termed succulent blushing.
How to Make Succulents Colorful?
There are three environmental conditions that help in changing the color of succulents:
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Sun and Succulents
Light exposure is a top factor that impacts succulent colors. All plants consist of chlorophyll, a natural pigment that helps them in photosynthesis. The plant gets its green color from this pigment. Since chlorophyll is responsible for absorbing sunlight, less light exposure can stimulate the pigment to get produced in larger quantities. The plant, in this case, is stressed by light, and therefore, there is increased chlorophyll production to absorb the required amount of sunlight. This, in turn, changes the colors of the leaves and stems to dark green. The result is a dark green succulent. Sometimes, you see the light green succulent plant. What does it mean? Succulent pale green means that the plant is receiving less than adequate light.
If you have been guessing the reason behind green succulents turning purple, pink, and red then this is it. When the plant receives plenty of sunlight, the other two pigments - carotenoids and anthocyanins get activated. The latter is an antioxidant whose primary function is to protect the plant from bright sunlight. Therefore, with excess sunlight exposure, you start seeing purple, red, and green succulents. The same is the case with blue lipstick succulents.
The other scenario is when you see a yellow or orange bright-colored cactus. In this case, the carotenoids are at work. This pigment too absorbs light giving the plant shades of yellows and oranges. This answers, "why my succulents are turning yellow?"
Another factor of 'how to stress a succulent' is how often you water the plant. If the succulent gets too much water, the plant will be primarily green. However, the watering is less frequent; you will start to notice your green succulent with red tips. Sometimes succulents can turn pink. This condition is often termed succulent blushing. The different colors of succulents include red, pink, purple, blue, orange, and yellow.
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Temperature
The sun's rays and temperature are a powerful combination for various types of colorful succulents. There are two conditions - if the temperature is extreme, your succulents are likely to get colored.
At very high temperatures, typically more than 32°C or 90°F, the two pigments - carotenoids and anthocyanins - are actively trying to prevent the sun's ultraviolet rays from harming the plant. This results in the coloration of the plant. Therefore, in a hot region with full sun succulents in California, there are high chances of your succulent plant turning purple or red.
Similarly, in cold temperatures, typically below 4.4°C or 40°F, the chlorophyll is more active, ensuring that the plant gets a dark green color.
FAQs
1. What does it mean when your succulent turns yellow?
Overwatering is usually the real reason behind the succulent turning yellow.
2. How much sunlight does echeveria need?
The succulent needs at least six hours of direct sunlight to maintain the succulent green color. Not just echeveria, even sedum light requirements are six hours of daylight.
3. What are some red succulent plant types?
Ruby glow succulent is a good example of a red succulent.
4. Why is my cactus color fading?
Fading of color is a succulent sign that the plant is stressed.
5. What happens to a jade plant without sunlight?
The plant will become leggy. You can also see jade plant scaly leaves.
6. What is a blue succulent name?
The best example is "Blue Agave" or Agave tequilana.
7. What does black-tipped succulent mean?
It means that the succulent is stressed.
8. What is the name of one purple succulent?
A typical example is Echeveria's, Dusty Rose.'
9. Why do succulents turn red?
Your echeveria red tips may have set you thinking. Your plant is exposed to extreme heat conditions that turn the color of succulents red.
10. Can you change the color of succulents with food coloring?
Yes, you can. Food coloring is non-toxic. First, you need to stress the plant and let the plant soak in the dye solution. Within days the new color would start to show.
11. What do dark spots on succulents indicate?
The spot is most probably a fungal infection. You need to get your plant checked by a botanist.
12. Why is my cactus turning light green?
It means that your cactus is receiving less than the required light.
13. Why has succulent lost all leaves?
It is overwatering that is causing the plant to lose its leaves.
14. What are the types of succulents purple?
Some of the examples are Graptoveria' Debbie', Pachyveria Powder Puff, and Sempervivum' Raspberry Ice.'
15. Why do succulents turn white?
Overwatering or root rooting is the reason behind your succulent turning white.
16. Why did my succulent turn black?
You are probably feeding the plant more water than it can take; hence, the succulent turns black.
17. What are the signs of a healthy succulent?
A most colorful succulent with long leaves indicates a healthy houseplant.
18. Do succulents need sun?
Yes, succulents need sunlight to thrive and grow.
19. Is it possible to get colored succulents DIY?
Yes, it is possible by stressing the succulent.
20. How to make succulents pink?
By exposing the plant to higher amounts of light, you can stress the plant to turn pink or red.
21. Why is my red or pink succulent turning green?
The reason could be water or light. Your red and pink leaf succulent will turn to green if it is watered perfectly or placed under shade.
22. Why is my succulent turning red or pink?
If you notice your succulents turning red and pink, the plant is stressed. It is being exposed to extreme weather conditions or is being under-watered.
23. Do succulents change color?
Yes, they do. By changing the growing or thriving conditions of the plant, succulents can be made to change colors.
