Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Aloe humilis
Aloe humilis, the spider aloe, is a small South African aloe that forms low clumps of blue-green rosettes about 8 inches across. Its slender leaves curl upward and carry soft spines and bumps. From late winter into spring it sends up red-orange flowers on stalks about 14 inches tall, and hummingbirds visit them. It fits a pot, a rock garden or the front of a dry bed.
Best for: a small pot or patio container, the front of a rock garden, and red-orange flowers for hummingbirds from late winter into spring.
Each rosette is about 8 inches across and the plant stays about 6 to 12 inches tall. It is grown in small pots and patio containers.
It makes pups and fills in as a low clump. Tuck it between rocks or along the front of a dry bed where water drains away fast.
Stalks about 14 inches tall carry red-orange tube flowers from late winter into spring. Hummingbirds come to feed on them.
Too much water can rot it, so let the soil dry fully between drinks. It is rated to the low 20s°F, so cover it on colder nights.
After planting, wait a few days to a week before the first drink so any broken roots can heal. Then water it regularly until it roots in, letting the soil dry between drinks.
Once rooted, water about every 2 weeks from spring through fall, only after the soil has dried out. Keep it dry in winter.
It is rated to the low 20s°F. On frosty nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning. A tree canopy overhead also helps.
Cut the dead flower stalks off at the base after bloom. Pull or cut pups when they are a few inches tall, let the cut dry about a week, then plant them.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Aloe humilis get?
It grows about 6 to 12 inches tall, with rosettes about 8 inches across, and clumps with pups. It fits a small pot or the front of a bed.
When does it bloom?
It blooms from late winter into spring, with red-orange tube flowers on stalks about 14 inches tall. Cut the stalks off once the flowers fade.
Does it bring hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds visit the tube flowers, so leave the stalks up until the flowers finish.
Does it need full sun?
It takes full sun or part sun. In the Valley, most aloes look better with some afternoon or filtered shade in summer.
How often should I water it?
Water only after the soil has dried out, about every 2 weeks in the warm months. Keep it dry in winter.
How cold hardy is Aloe humilis?
It is rated to the low 20s°F. On colder nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet to the ground, not plastic.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a gritty mix. It is grown in small containers and rock gardens.
How do I split off the pups?
Cut a pup away with a clean, sharp knife when it is a few inches tall. Let the cut dry about a week, then plant it.
Is Aloe humilis toxic to pets?
Yes. Aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and chewing the leaves can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. Plant it where pets cannot chew on it.
Aloe humilis for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Aloe humilis, often called spider aloe, is a small clumping aloe from the Cape of South Africa. It grows blue-green rosettes and blooms red-orange from late winter into spring. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard or pot, from size and sun to water, cold and pups.
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Aloe humilis, the spider aloe
Aloe humilis comes from the Western and Eastern Cape of South Africa. It forms low, suckering rosettes of slender blue-green leaves. It suits pots and rock gardens.
How big does Aloe humilis get?
It stays about 6 to 12 inches tall with rosettes about 8 inches across. It makes pups and spreads into a low clump.
When does Aloe humilis bloom?
It blooms from late winter into spring. The red-orange flowers sit on stalks about 14 inches tall, and hummingbirds visit them.
Watering Aloe humilis in Arizona
Water only after the soil dries, about every 2 weeks in the warm months. Keep it dry in winter. Gritty soil that drains fast keeps the roots from rotting.
Is Aloe humilis cold hardy?
It is rated to the low 20s°F. Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet on colder nights, draped to the ground.
Aloe humilis in pots
It suits small pots with a drainage hole and a gritty mix. Split off the pups to fill more pots or share them.
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