Sorry to hear about your aloe vera plant! Those brown dots can mean a variety of things, depending on the nature of them. If they are mushy or softish, that could mean you are overwatering. If they are dry or crispy, that can mean the opposite, that the plant needs more water. Sunburn looks more like widespread discoloration which doesn’t seem to be the case? Brown scale manifest as raised brown bumps that can be washed off, and may call for an insecticidal soap and/or removing the parts of the plant affected. Here is our guide to dealing with scale on houseplants. It could also be a fungus: Anthracnose can cause pitted, rusty brown spots, and “aloe rust” can lead to patches of brown that are dry to the touch. Here is our guide to dealing with anthracnose (with images to help you diagnose). In general, you’ll want to isolate the plant from others if it’s a pest or disease versus a care issue. If you think it’s a care issue, you could repot the plant, removing any affected parts, and give it new potting media that is well-draining. Let us know how it goes.
Hi Jisoo,
Sorry to hear about your aloe vera plant! Those brown dots can mean a variety of things, depending on the nature of them. If they are mushy or softish, that could mean you are overwatering. If they are dry or crispy, that can mean the opposite, that the plant needs more water. Sunburn looks more like widespread discoloration which doesn’t seem to be the case? Brown scale manifest as raised brown bumps that can be washed off, and may call for an insecticidal soap and/or removing the parts of the plant affected. Here is our guide to dealing with scale on houseplants. It could also be a fungus: Anthracnose can cause pitted, rusty brown spots, and “aloe rust” can lead to patches of brown that are dry to the touch. Here is our guide to dealing with anthracnose (with images to help you diagnose). In general, you’ll want to isolate the plant from others if it’s a pest or disease versus a care issue. If you think it’s a care issue, you could repot the plant, removing any affected parts, and give it new potting media that is well-draining. Let us know how it goes.
—The Editors of The Old Farmer’s Almanac