diff --git a/lib/mpl_toolkits/mplot3d/axes3d.py b/lib/mpl_toolkits/mplot3d/axes3d.py
index 33a08816cf69..492f14ee37b4 100644
--- a/lib/mpl_toolkits/mplot3d/axes3d.py
+++ b/lib/mpl_toolkits/mplot3d/axes3d.py
@@ -2729,12 +2729,30 @@ def calc_arrow(uvw, angle=15):
             # transpose to get a list of lines
             heads = heads.swapaxes(0, 1)
 
-            lines = [*shafts, *heads]
+            # create seperate lists for lines, left arrow head lines,
+            # and right arrow head lines from the computed lines and
+            # heads to be used for generating gradients
+            lines = shafts
+            arrows1 = []
+            arrows2 = []
+            for a in range(len(heads)):
+                if a % 2 == 0:
+                    arrows1.append(heads[a])
+                else:
+                    arrows2.append(heads[a])
         else:
+            arrows1 = []
+            arrows2 = []
             lines = []
 
+        # generate 3D lines with gradient for body, left arrow head lines,
+        # and right arrow head lines
         linec = art3d.Line3DCollection(lines, *args[argi:], **kwargs)
+        arrow1c = art3d.Line3DCollection(arrows1, *args[argi:], **kwargs)
+        arrow2c = art3d.Line3DCollection(arrows2, *args[argi:], **kwargs)
         self.add_collection(linec)
+        self.add_collection(arrow1c)
+        self.add_collection(arrow2c)
 
         self.auto_scale_xyz(XYZ[:, 0], XYZ[:, 1], XYZ[:, 2], had_data)