Can you treat a sunburned jade plant? In this post, I will share with you the reasons why jade plants get sunburned and how you can save them.
The Jade plant is one of the most versatile succulent plants. In fact, it can tolerate neglect. However, it cannot stand against a scourging sun. It can get sunburned.
So, what can you do with a sunburned jade plant?
Well, the good news is that sunburned leaves won’t lead to the death of the whole jade plant. The quickest solution you can do to a sunburned jade plant is to move it to a shadier area to protect it from direct sunlight and prevent further damage.
In most cases, sunburn will not kill your plant. This usually happens when it is placed outdoor. But don’t worry, the jade plant will acclimate to the warm climate. Bear in mind that this plant is native to the warm environment in South Africa.
But surprisingly, jade plants are not tolerant of low temperatures. In fact, they cannot withstand colder environments especially indoors during winter.
The perfect place for jade plants is the shaded outdoor areas. They thrive well under a tree or covered porch.
Why Is My Jade Plant Dying?
Table of Contents
There are many reasons why a jade plant is dying. The common cause of death in this plant are overwatering, lack of sunlight exposure, and inappropriate type of soil.
1. Overwatering
As mentioned several times in this post, jade plants do not want to be overwatered. In fact, overwatering is the best way to kill a succulent plant. Too much water and moisture are detrimental to any succulents.
If you notice some signs of overwatering (soggy or mushy leaves), reduce the amount of water. Also, reduce the watering frequency.
But you can easily avoid this by using well-draining soil (like the one that I recommend above). Good succulent soil allows the excess water to drain freely leaving just enough moisture needed for the jade plant.
A fast-draining soil will not only help the draining process but also provide the plant with good aeration. Succulents need soil that allows them to breathe.
2. Lack of sunlight exposure
In most cases, jade plants die indoor due to the lack of sunlight exposure. As you know, succulent plants are used in semi-desert areas. This means that they need more sunlight than other plants.
The problems become obvious when jade plants are placed indoors where sunshine is limited. So as a rule of thumb, they should be placed near the window where sunlight is accessible in the morning.
Using a grow light (check my recommended grow light on Amazon) is a great idea to supplement the sunlight need. If you are living in a place where winter happens every year, then using a grow light will help your jade plant survive.
Grow lights will help provide the heat needed by the plant. Remember that jade plants are vulnerable to freezing temperatures.
3. Inappropriate soil
Another cause of death in jade plants is inappropriate soil. Remember that succulent plants need fast-draining soil and hate the compact or the garden soil. The reason for this is that succulent plants are prone to rot if exposed or soak in water.
Compact soil tends to hold too much water and moisture something that could cause root rot. When this happens, a jade plant may die eventually.
If this is the reason why your jade plant is dying, I suggest that you repot the plant and change the soil. Get fast-draining soil (check my recommended fast-draining soil on Amazon) and replace the old one. Before repotting, make sure that you remove all the soil on the roots of the plant.
Can Jade plants get sunburned?
Yes, jade plants can stay in full sun. However, intense sunlight may burn their leaves. So, make sure you keep them under partial shade or filter the sunlight using a sheer curtain.
The jade plant is native to the warm climate in South Africa. But it is not the situation how you want to keep the plant indoors.
In any case, it is more appropriate to keep the plant in the shaded area. Direct and harsh sunlight can damage the foliage.
Indirect and bright light works best for jade plants. You can trim the damaged leaves to promote healthy growth.
The placement of the jade plant also determines the amount of sunlight it receives. For example, if the pot is kept near the east-facing window, it gets the morning sunlight, but it will not be enough throughout the day.
If the plant is kept in the west-facing window, it will get some evening sun, but it will not get enough bright sunlight for the day.
Similarly, a south-facing window will provide the optimum amount of sunlight throughout the day. But if you keep the plant outside, it will receive too much light.
Usually, a healthy jade plant needs indirect sunlight for at least six hours a day and soft direct sun for a maximum of 4 hours.
Thus, by keeping the plant near the south-facing window, you can manage to get enough lighting for them.
If a south-facing window is not feasible, you must go with a west or east-facing window. Never place them in a north-facing window as it might not be enough for your jade plants.
Why is my jade plant sunburned?
After noticing the signs of sunburn in the jade plant, another essential step is to find the exact problem. So let us understand the same so that we can stop them from happening again.
Identifying the brown spots
There may be many reasons behind the leaves turning brown. But, unfortunately, it is not always the sunburn behind every yellow or brown spot.
It is essential to know the exact reason behind the signs given by the plant. For example, if you notice that only the upper leaves exposed to the sun show the spots, it is most probably because of the sunburn.
However, sometimes your jade plant may turn yellow or brown even when they are not kept under direct sunlight.
Sudden exposure to the sun
The jade plant prefers to stay untouched. It likes to stay consistent in one place with no need for any displacement.
For example, if you have placed your jade plant indoors and provided it with the perfect sunlight and other nutrients, but suddenly you decide to place it outside under the direct sun, it will definitely get a sunburn.
The continuous exposure to direct sunlight gives spots of sunburn.
In addition, the jade plant requires some time to adjust to different conditions, so bringing a sudden change will shock the jade plant resulting in brown spots.
Direct sunlight
It is seen that when the jade plants are grown in the wild, the direct sunlight does not cause a lot of problems to them, as they remain safe under the canopy of other trees and bushes.
But the same is not the case with the plant grown indoors. The indoor jade plant does not tolerate direct sunlight as they are acclimated to medium indirect lighting conditions.
Indoors jade plants have been accustomed to limited light and cultural conditions, making them vulnerable to unfavourable conditions.
If you have placed your jade plant near the balcony or outside, it will receive direct sunlight and eventually get scorched leaves.
Conclusion on Sunburned Jade Plant
The Jade plant is one of the most versatile succulent plants. However, they are prone to sunburn if overexposed to scourging direct sunlight.
The quickest thing you can do is to bring the plant to a shadier area. You can also place it indoors.
I hope that the tips I shared in this post will help you save your jade plant.
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