Aerial Roots on Succulents: What They Mean - Sprouting Indoors

If you have been growing succulents for a while, you may have noticed some of them developing thin white or pink roots growing out of their stem. These are called aerial roots.

Even though they can look strange- don’t panic. Your plant is still healthy, it just needs a bit more attention. Keep reading to learn more about aerial roots, what they mean for your plant, and how you can fix them.

What are aerial roots?

They are roots found ABOVE the ground, in the air- pretty self-explanatory right?. These roots are adventitious, meaning they do not grow where they are supposed to (underneath the soil). They are usually light pink or white in color, and thinner than the roots you would find underground. Over time, they turn brown, dry out and eventually fall off naturally. Aerial roots are not really a bad thing, and your succulent is not doomed when you see them. They just mean you need to make some changes to your succulent’s environment to make sure it is getting everything it needs.

What do aerial roots do?

They are quite versatile and have several functions to help out the plants that they grow on:

They allow the plant to absorb moisture in the air, especially if it is not being watered enough. This is especially useful for plants growing in humid areas with plenty of water in the air, such as rainforests.
They help plants absorb nutrients.
Act as “anchors” to supporting structures. These roots can grow downwards until they make contact with the soil, helping them to support weaker stems.
They help with air exchange, especially for plants in habitats with waterlogged soil. Aerial roots will have small pores that help the plant take in air as needed.
In parasitic plants, they help attach onto the host and invade its tissues (this is seen in Mistletoe).
They provide structure to plants. Succulents stretch out (etiolate) when they do not receive enough sunlight, this leads to a long stemmed, top-heavy plant. In this case, the plant can shoot off aerial roots to help stabilize the plant as it grows taller.
They help plants with propagation. If a trailing plant (such as burro’s tail or string of pearls), were cut off, aerial roots would help the new cutting absorb nutrients and water immediately. Offsets from plants, such as mother-of-thousands, can grow aerial roots so that when they drop off, they can propagate further.

As you can see, aerial roots serve many purposes and are not specific to succulents. Tropical plants frequently grow these roots because it allows them to absorb plenty of water from their humid atmosphere. Epiphytes (plants that grow on the surface of other plants), receive most of their water and nutrients from aerial roots.

aerial roots on succulent — Aerial roots on succulent

succulent with aerial roots — Tiny pinkish white aerial roots forming on the stem of this succulent. These are pretty new, which is why they are still short and pink in color.

When do aerial roots form?

So now that you know a bit more about these roots, why exactly are they forming on your succulents?

First, know that not all succulent species will grow aerial roots, even if they are meeting the conditions listed below. Aerial roots will form on succulents with stems. Some common problems that lead to aerial roots include:

Underwatering

If your succulent is not receiving enough water, it will send out aerial roots in search of more moisture. Even though succulents are desert plants and like dry climates, they still need to be watered appropriately. Some people (including me when I started out) make the mistake of never watering their succulents- this is a problem! Succulents like to be soaked infrequently and given time for the soil to dry out in between waterings.

When watering succulents, keep the following in mind:

Water once every 1 to 2 weeks in the summer
Water once every 3 to 4 weeks in the winter
Check that the top inch of soil is dry before watering
When you water- water infrequently. This means soaking the plant a lot, at once and letting it completely dry out in between
Water the soil at the base of the plant, not on the leaves
Use a well-draining, porous soil mixture

Learn how to water succulents properly here

Is your succulent in a really dry area or receiving a lot of sun? It may need to be watered more frequently. Pay attention to other signs such as dried out bottom leaves to give you clues that your succulent needs more water.

Increased humidity

If your air is humid, your succulents could be shooting out aerial roots just because there is extra water there. This is especially true if your succulent is underwatered, as described above.

Succulents do best in drier climates. Increased humidity causes water to stay in the soil for longer, which could lead to rot.

Move your succulent to an area that receives better airflow and is less humid (also try a fan to improve airflow).

Not enough sun

Check for signs that your succulent is not receiving enough sun. These include spaced out leaves, tall stems, and leaning towards the side where they are receiving more light.

If the stem is really tall and the plant is top-heavy with spaced out leaves, your succulent could be growing aerial roots to help with stabilization and structure. In this case, the aerial roots are not absorbing anything, but rather preventing your plant from falling down. Think of how you stretch out your arms to keep your balance when you feel like you will topple over- your succulent is doing the same thing.

If this case, slowly transition your succulent to an area that receives more light over the course of a week (do not immediately move it from a shaded area to a bright, sunny area because that can cause sunburn). South-facing windows are best because they provide the most amount of light. If you find that still is not enough, you may want to consider a grow light.

Tried all of the above?

Finally, remember that sometimes aerial roots just… happen, even if you are watering properly and providing enough sun.

There could be factors out of your control contributing to aerial root growth, such as the succulent species and season. Succulents that are in their active growing season are more likely to grow aerial roots even in proper conditions.

You can chose to leave them on or cut them off if they bother you (it does not hurt your plant to cut them off).

How do I remove aerial roots?

Nothing has to be done about the aerial roots themselves, and you can chose to leave them attached if you do not mind them. Check for signs of underwatering (dried out bottom leaves) and lack of sunlight (tall, stretched out plant), and provide your plant with more water or light as needed.

If you do not like the appearance of aerial roots, especially as they turn brown and dry out, you can cut them off carefully with scissors or pull them off with tweezers (don’t worry, this does not damage your plant and is completely harmless).

And that is everything you need to know about aerial roots: what they are, how to fix them, and how to remove them if you choose. Aerial roots can be a clue that your plant is not receiving enough water or sun, or that it’s environment is too humid. Check for those signs and adjust your plant care as necessary.

What do you do with your succulent air roots? Do you cut them off or leave them on? Let me know down below!