Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Blue Elf Aloe
Blue Elf Aloe is a small clumping aloe with narrow, upright, blue-gray leaves. From about January to April it sends up spikes of orange flowers that hummingbirds visit. It stays around 12 to 18 inches tall and spreads to about 2 feet as new pups fill in. It takes full sun and reflected heat or bright shade on low water, and it fits borders, pots and mass plantings.
Best for: mass plantings along walks and driveways, pots and planters, beds near pools, and hot, sunny spots or bright shade where you want winter flowers for hummingbirds.
Spikes of orange flowers about 2 feet tall rise above the leaves from about January to April. Hummingbirds and bees visit them, and a stray spike can open at other times of year.
It grows as a tight clump of rosettes and spreads by pups into a wide mound. Planted in groups, it fills in as a low succulent groundcover along walks and driveways.
At 12 to 18 inches tall, it suits planters and pots with cacti and other succulents. It is also used in beds near pools, ponds and fountains.
Heavy, soggy soil can rot the roots, so plant it where water drains away. In full shade it stays greener and shorter with fewer flowers. Leaves turning purple mean heat, sun or dry soil is stressing it.
- Closer group2 ft apart
- Wider group3 ft apart
Wait 1 to 2 weeks after planting before the first watering, or up to a month in cool weather, so the roots can heal. Then water to get it rooted, never leaving the soil soggy.
Once rooted, water about twice a month from spring through fall. In the ground it needs little winter water, especially after rain.
It is rated to about 20°F, hardier than most aloes. On frosty nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning.
It makes many pups and spreads into a wide mound. Divide crowded clumps in spring after flowering, and cut spent flower stalks.
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 Blue Elf Aloe get, and how fast?
It grows about 12 to 18 inches tall and 1 to 2 feet wide, at a moderate pace. In bloom, the flower spikes rise to about 2 feet.
When does it bloom, and do hummingbirds come to it?
It blooms mostly from about January to April, with spikes of orange flowers above the leaves. A stray spike can open at other times. Hummingbirds visit the flowers, and so do bees.
Can it take full sun and reflected heat?
Yes. It takes more reflected heat and cold than most aloes, and it grows in full sun. It also grows in bright shade, where it stays greener and shorter with fewer flowers.
How often should I water it?
Water it about every 2 weeks in the warm months. In the ground it needs little water in winter, and none after a good rain. Aloes grow in the cool season, so a pot needs more winter water than the ground.
What soil does it need?
It needs soil that drains well. Native desert soil works, and sandy or gravelly soil suits it better than clay. Soggy soil can rot the roots. In pots, use cactus mix and a pot with a drainage hole.
How cold hardy is Blue Elf Aloe?
It is one of the more cold-hardy aloes. Most ratings put it at about 20°F, and some go as low as 10 to 15°F. The leaves can turn reddish in cold weather.
Why is my Blue Elf turning purple?
Purple leaves are a stress sign. It usually means too much sun and heat, or too little water, so give it a deep drink or a little afternoon shade.
How do I divide it or take pups?
Divide crowded clumps every 2 to 3 years in spring, after it flowers. To take a pup, cut it away with a clean, sharp knife. Let the cut dry for about a week, then plant it.
Can I plant it near a pool?
It is one of the aloes used in beds near pools, ponds and fountains. Its small size also suits planters and patio pots.
Is Blue Elf Aloe safe for pets?
No. Aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Eating it can cause vomiting, lethargy and diarrhea, so keep pets from chewing it.
Does it die after it blooms, like an agave?
No. Unlike most agaves, aloes keep living after they bloom, and they flower again most years.
Blue Elf or Short Leaf Aloe?
Both are small clumping aloes with orange flowers. Blue Elf has narrow, upright, blue-gray leaves and is a garden cross. Short Leaf Aloe is a species with short gray leaves in dense, low rosettes.
Blue Elf Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Blue Elf Aloe is a compact, clumping aloe with blue-gray leaves and orange flower spikes in winter and early spring. It handles more reflected heat and cold than most aloes, and it grows in bright shade too. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and spacing to water, pups and bloom.
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.
How big does Blue Elf Aloe get?
Plan on a clump about 12 to 18 inches tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. It spreads slowly by pups into a low mound. In bloom, the orange flower spikes reach about 2 feet.
Blue Elf Aloe in full sun and reflected heat
Most aloes in the Valley look better with some afternoon shade in summer. Blue Elf takes more reflected heat and cold than most, so it works in full sun too. It also grows in bright shade, with greener leaves and fewer flowers.
When does Blue Elf Aloe bloom in Arizona?
The main bloom runs from about January to April. Spikes of orange, tube-shaped flowers rise above the blue-gray leaves. Hummingbirds and bees visit them through the cool months.
How often to water Blue Elf Aloe in Phoenix
Water about every 2 weeks in the warm months. Aloes grow mainly in the cool season, so in a dry winter a weekly drink is fine in soil that drains fast. Soggy soil is the thing to avoid, since it can rot the roots.
Is Blue Elf Aloe cold hardy?
It is one of the more cold-hardy aloes. Most ratings put it at about 20°F, and some go as low as 10 to 15°F. The leaves can take on a reddish color in cold weather.
Blue Elf Aloe vs Short Leaf Aloe
Blue Elf is a garden cross sold as Aloe 'Blue Elf', with narrow, upright, blue-gray leaves. Its exact parents are not known. Short Leaf Aloe is a separate species with short gray leaves in dense, low rosettes.
How to divide Blue Elf Aloe
Divide crowded clumps every 2 to 3 years in spring, after flowering. Cut pups away with a clean, sharp knife and let the cut dry for about a week before planting.
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.