Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Arabian Aloe
Arabian Aloe comes from the high mountains of Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It forms sprawling clumps of big blue-green rosettes, about 2 to 3 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. The leaves take on pink, violet or maroon tones in winter and in dry, sunny spots. In winter it sends up dense spikes of waxy orange-red flowers, and hummingbirds visit them. It is grown as a bold accent in a dry, rocky bed or on a slope.
Best for: a bold accent in a dry, rocky bed or slope, winter leaf color, and orange-red flowers for hummingbirds.
The leaves are blue-green with reddish teeth. In full sun and dry weather they take on violet and purple tones, and in winter they flush pink to maroon.
It grows wild on steep, rocky slopes and forms sprawling clumps 4 to 6 feet wide. Give it room in a dry bed or on a slope where water runs off.
Dense spikes of waxy orange-red flowers rise in winter. Hummingbirds come to feed on them. A hard freeze can damage the flowers, but more stalks often follow.
Soggy soil can rot it, so plant it in gritty soil that drains fast. The flowers can freeze below about 30°F, and the leaves take damage near 20°F.
- Plant to plant6 ft apart
Give it a few days to a week without water after planting. After that, water it on a steady schedule until new growth shows it has rooted, and let the soil dry in between.
Once rooted, water only now and then, about every 2 weeks in the warm months. It prefers dry conditions in summer and winter, so let the soil dry fully.
It is rated to about 20 to 25°F for the leaves. On frosty nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning. The winter flowers freeze below about 30°F, but more stalks often follow.
Full sun and dry soil bring out the violet-red leaf color. Give the clump room to sprawl 4 to 6 feet, and cut dead flower stalks after bloom.
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 Arabian Aloe get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide as a sprawling clump, with single rosettes about 2 to 4 feet across. Give it room on a slope or in a dry bed.
Why do the leaves turn red or purple?
Its name, rubroviolacea, means red-violet. The leaves take on violet tones in full sun and dry weather and flush pink to maroon in winter. For more color, give it sun and keep it dry.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in winter, when dense spikes of waxy orange-red flowers rise above the leaves. Cut the stalks off once the flowers fade.
Does it bring hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds come to the winter flowers, so leave the stalks up until the flowers finish.
Does it need full sun?
It takes full sun to part shade. Full sun gives the strongest leaf color. In the Valley, most aloes look better with some afternoon shade in summer.
How often should I water it?
Water it only now and then once rooted, about every 2 weeks in the warm months. Keep it on the dry side and let the soil dry between drinks.
How cold hardy is Arabian Aloe?
The leaves take about 20 to 25°F, though they can be damaged near 20°F. The flowers freeze below about 30°F. Cover it on the coldest nights.
Is it toxic to pets?
Yes. Aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Chewing the leaves can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy, so keep pets from chewing it.
Arabian Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Arabian Aloe, Aloe rubroviolacea, is a sprawling aloe from the mountains of the Arabian Peninsula. Its blue-green leaves blush violet-red, and it blooms orange-red in winter. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and color to sun, water and cold.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Aloe rubroviolacea, the Arabian aloe
Arabian Aloe grows wild on steep, rocky slopes above 7,000 feet in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It forms sprawling clumps of thick, arching blue-green leaves. Its name refers to the red-violet color the leaves take on.
How big does Arabian Aloe get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. Each rosette reaches about 2 to 4 feet across on slow, sprawling stems.
When does Arabian Aloe bloom?
It blooms in winter with dense spikes of waxy orange-red flowers. Hummingbirds come to feed on them.
Sun and water for Arabian Aloe in Phoenix
It takes full sun to part shade, and full sun brings out the most color. Water only now and then once rooted. Gritty, rocky soil that drains fast suits it.
Is Arabian Aloe cold hardy?
The leaves are rated to about 20 to 25°F. The flowers freeze below about 30°F. Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet on the coldest nights.
Arabian Aloe leaf color
The leaves are blue-green in part shade. In full sun and dry weather they turn violet and purple, and they flush pink to maroon in winter.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.