Does Aloe Vera Plant Like Full Sun?

Do Aloe plants like the full sun?

Can they survive in direct sunlight?

These are some of the common questions among new Aloe plant growers.

When you get this plant from the nursery or online shop, you often get the assurance that it will do well in all conditions.

But sometimes, the Aloes don't survive despite getting the perfect weather conditions.

So, what's the reason for it?

Let's find out in the following guide.

Does Aloe Vera Like Sun?

Yes, the Aloe Vera plant likes the sun!

It's a type of succulent plant, and it typically grows in desert conditions.

Hence, the plant is accustomed to growing in such harsh conditions.

The Aloe plant does well when it receives 5-6 hours of sunlight.

Now, the sunlight can be direct or indirect, depending on the weather conditions in your state.

If the weather is cool and dry, the plant won't mind direct sunlight for long.

In fact, it will thrive in such an atmosphere.

Similarly, it will continue to do well in humid places with moderate sunlight.

However, if you live in hot weather places, you don't have to keep the plant in direct sun.

It might cause the sunburn issue in the plant.

If you are not aware of the sunburn issue in Aloe plants, you can read the detailed guide on this topic.

This issue also arises during the summertime, as the intensity of sun rays goes up significantly.

Can You Grow Aloe Vera In The Shade?

Aloe Vera can be grown in shaded places, but it won't achieve the standard growth rate.

The plant will struggle to maintain its growth rate due to a lack of natural light.

However, if you don't get enough sunlight in your plant's room, it won't be a problem.

You can still grow the Aloe Vera plant at home.

The only thing you need to keep in mind is to place the plant container near a window.

This will allow the plant to receive decent sunlight during the day.

Having said that, try not to place this plant in a dark or completely shaded place.

It won't survive in such conditions for too long.

The plant will do alright in a partially shaded place, though.

5 Things To Remember While Placing Indoor Aloe Vera Plant In The Sun

Well, here are a few things you must remember while moving the Aloe plant outside -

1. Don't Place New Plants And Pups In Full Sunlight

Whether it's the new pups or 1-2-month-old plants, you shouldn't move them out in the full sun.

This type of young plants should be planted in indoor conditions only.

When the plants are young, they need more of a protective environment to grow and thrive in the pot.

Once they grow up in a few more months, you can surely move them to a sunny place.

But if you don't wait for this much period and place the young plants in the open, they will not survive the heat.

Eventually, you will have to either move them inside or get a new plant from the nursery entirely.

So, do think about it when you wish to carry out this task in your indoor garden.

2. Don't Put It Directly Under The Sun

That's right!

Even if you feel the Aloe plant needs direct sun after a while, you shouldn't go ahead and put it under the sun.

This process has to happen at a relatively slow pace.

Firstly, you should think of moving the plant to a shaded place or somewhere near a sunny window in your room.

It's an important step in this process, as you don't want your indoor plant to get exposed to direct sun and heat suddenly.

So, keep the plant in a shaded place for a couple of weeks and let it get acclimatized to the new environment.

This way, the plant won't get under the shock and adapt to slightly more intense sunlight.

After a couple of weeks, you can move the Aloe plant container under the sun.

Again, this should only be done if it's actually required.

Do not perform this task in harsh summers, as the plant won't be able to tolerate the excessive heat generated by the sun rays and hot air.

This rule applies to all types of Aloe plants.

Whether they are small or mature, you shouldn't put them under the sun for long.

3. Don't Move Your Plant Frequently

Yes, there is no need to move the plant every few months or so.

Generally, the plants like to grow in a place where it receives enough sunlight, water, etc.

It also gets used to the environment you have placed it in initially.

However, when you move the plant somewhere else, it gets under stress.

The sudden change in the surrounding environment and increased intensity of sun rays make it difficult for the plant.

In case the plant is already fighting some external issues, it will become an added challenge to the plant.

Ultimately, if the issues persist, it won't be able to deal with multiple problems at a time.

Apart from this issue, the plant may also start growing in different directions, or leaves may just fall flat due to the change in the direction of the sun rays.

Once this happens, there will be visible changes in the plant's structure, and the plant won't look the same again.

It will change the shape and will probably not as beautiful as it did previously.

Therefore, you should refrain from changing the location of the plant every few weeks or months.

4. Avoid Placing It Outside During The Summers

Summer is the only season when no one feels like venturing out of the house.

The same thing happens with the plants, especially the indoor ones.

The indoor plants get used to the environment that they live in.

In summers, though, the outside temperatures soar quickly, and it's something that plants don't like at all.

So, you must avoid moving the Aloe Vera plant outside during this period.

Even though it's considered a hardy plant, you may also see some issues like sunburnt leaves or dried leaves on your Aloe Vera.

The plant will not do well in such extreme conditions and might just not survive longer.

Moreover, you should also postpone other activities like transplanting or repotting when the conditions are not favorable for your Aloe plant.

Note: If the summers in your place are relatively pleasant, you can move the Aloe Vera plant outside.

It shouldn't cause many issues, as I discussed above.

5. Water The Plant Well

Finally, don't forget to the water plant well.

Well, if you don't have any other option than to move your Aloe outside, you should work on the new watering schedule.

When you put the plant in the sun, its water requirements increase due to depleting water resources in the soil.

This happens with all types of plants in your indoor garden, so your Aloe will go through the same situation too.

If you don't increase the watering frequency during the summers or when the plant is kept outside, it might start showing some early signs of lack of water in the system.

In the beginning, the leaves will start to lean in a downward position. (link)

Later, it will turn into a more severe problem, as the leaves will start to shrivel and dry out.

Overall, these are the few things you need to understand while providing full sun to your Aloe plant.

In the next section, let's look at some of the FAQs related to this topic.

FAQs

Over To You

Whether it's an indoor place or outdoor garden, your Aloe Vera plant will need sunlight.

Without the proper light resource, the plant will have a stunted growth phase.

The leaves and size of the overall plant will remain pretty much the same if it doesn't get sufficient sunlight.

Therefore, you must think of changing the position of the plant if it's not getting the required amount of light.

Meanwhile, if you have any further queries, feel free to ask them in the comments below.

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