How much sunlight does an Aloe Vera plant need?

How much sunlight does an Aloe Vera plant need?

For such a versatile plant, this is a very open question that, when approached, we must consider a number of different variables when answering the question of how much sunlight an Aloe Vera plant actually needs .

Aloe vera plants are indigenous to arid lands and desert climates, so they are used to withstanding a lot of sunlight. However, being a succulent plant, they can survive many different climatic conditions , as they are by nature a «self-sufficient» plant.

Aloe Vera is popular for growing as a common houseplant and can be ideally kept in the garden in the summer months without the need for much maintenance.

If you live in a country where you get a lot of sun, you should plant the aloe in a dry place to get the most out of this succulent plant, but also keep in mind that aloes also enjoy shade for this reason, planting it indoors will not be any trouble.

The adaptation abilities of Aloe Barbadensis do not mean that you can have it anywhere it does not receive sunlight. It does not matter that it gives shade part of the day but you should always try to place it near windows or balconies where it receives the maximum possible contribution of light.

Remember that for this plant the food it receives from the substrate is not as important as the light. We could say that the true food of Aloe, the one that makes it grow, is light. However, you should not neglect the land where it sits either.

Native trends

Aloe is considered a native plant of the African Mediterranean, but it has been used by people for such a long period that its origins could be widely debated.

Today there are aloe crops all over the planet, so where to plant aloe is not an imperative question.

So how much sunlight do you need?

For optimal results, full sunlight during the day will allow your plant to grow well, I never advise you to plant aloe vera in deep shaded areas. From experience it cannot endure a winter in the northern hemisphere.

If you plan to grow your Aloe Vera plant indoors; then you should put it in a pot next to the window or any other place that gets direct sunlight for a decent part of the day. Windows facing west or south will typically catch more sunlight and bloom more when they can photosynthesize.

I highly recommend that you don’t let your plant be more than five feet away from a window that receives enough sunlight during the day. This would basically be like starving the plant .

Is there a chance there is too much sunlight when growing an Aloe plant?

Even when using my guidelines, it will take a bit of trial and error to figure out the perfect lighting situation for your plant.

Also, if you live in cooler climates, this can make the weather very unpredictable, so even in summer you may not get as much sunlight as you expect.

Attention, your aloe plant can also receive too much sunlight and a good way to identify this problem is if the plant appears burned.

The plant will appear wrinkled and will begin to develop brown spots, both are indicators of poor health in the aloe plant, but if you notice them in time, you can save the plant easily.

And what about the signs of not having enough light?

The leaves of the Aloe plant normally grow upward and outward as if extending into the sun, just like a flower would.

The leaves of the aloe plant will do the opposite when they do not receive enough light and may appear weak and droopy.

Take note of the direction in which the leaves grow, this can tell you if the plant is getting enough sunlight.

Use of artificial light

Direct sunlight cannot be substituted. Although there are cases where you may need to consider artificial lighting to help your Aloe Vera plant grow.

If you live in places with long winters, this can mean months of dark and gloomy days that are not ideal for growing any type of plant. I advise you not to keep your plants near window sills in winter, as this could promote frost.

You can always consider using artificial lighting to supplement your plant’s growth and nutrition. If you use artificial lighting in the winter months, you won’t need to use as much as you think – aloe plants are dormant in the winter months and therefore you just need to maintain it.

Again, this will require a bit of trial and error , but using my advice you will be able to identify if the plant receives too much or too little sunlight.

If you have not yet grown the Aloe plant and want to start immediately, here are some links to plants available in Amazon Spain, so you can start.

So I hope this article has helped answer your questions about how much sunlight your aloe plant will need to flower and grow. There is no right or wrong answer as every plant is different and we all live in very different conditions and in parts of the world with different climates to consider.

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