Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Bottlebrush Aloe
Bottlebrush Aloe is a tree aloe from South Africa and Mozambique that grows on a single slim trunk topped by a dense rosette of long, arching green leaves. In late winter to spring it sends up a candelabra of dense flower clusters that look like bottlebrushes. It reaches about 8 to 18 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide in gardens. It is planted as a tall, narrow accent in a dry, sunny bed.
Best for: a tall, narrow accent in a dry bed, bottlebrush flower spikes in late winter and spring, and a tree aloe that fits a smaller space.
It grows on a single slim trunk topped by one dense rosette and reaches about 8 to 18 feet tall. It stays narrow, about 3 to 5 feet wide, so it suits a smaller space than most tree aloes.
A branched flower stalk rises about 4 feet above the leaves with 12 to 15 dense clusters. The packed yellow to orange flowers with long red stamens look like bottlebrushes.
It grows at a moderate pace for a tree aloe and needs little water once rooted. Plant it in full sun in soil that drains well.
It can look rough in the hottest Valley summers, so afternoon shade helps. It is rated to about 25°F, and cold snaps can damage the flower spikes.
After planting, wait a few days to a week before the first drink so broken roots can heal. Then water regularly until it roots in, letting the soil dry between drinks.
Once rooted, water about every 2 weeks in the warm months and let the soil dry between drinks. It needs little water once established.
It is rated to about 25°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. Cold snaps can damage the flower spikes.
It can look rough in the hottest Valley summers. Plant it where it gets some afternoon shade, and cut spent 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 Bottlebrush Aloe get?
It grows about 8 to 18 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide in gardens. It gets tall but stays narrow, so plan the spot for height more than width.
Why is it called bottlebrush aloe?
Its flower clusters are packed so densely, with long stamens sticking out, that they look like bottlebrushes.
When does it bloom?
From late winter into spring. A candelabra stalk with 12 to 15 dense flower clusters rises about 4 feet above the leaves.
Does it branch?
No. It usually keeps a single trunk with one dense rosette, so it stays narrow as it grows.
How fast does it grow?
It grows moderately fast for a tree aloe. Water it regularly until it roots in, then cut back to occasional water.
Does it take full sun in Phoenix?
It is grown in full sun, but it can look rough in the hottest Valley summers. Give it some afternoon shade if you can.
How often should I water it?
Once it is rooted, water about every 2 weeks in the warm months. Let the soil dry out between drinks.
How cold hardy is it?
It is rated to about 25°F. Cover young plants with frost cloth or a sheet on colder nights. Cold snaps can damage the flower spikes.
Does it bring hummingbirds?
Yes. Its tube flowers draw hummingbirds in the cool season, when it blooms.
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.
Bottlebrush Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Bottlebrush Aloe, Aloe rupestris, is a single-trunk tree aloe named for its dense, bottlebrush-like flower clusters. It grows moderately fast to about 8 to 18 feet in gardens. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and sun to water, cold and flowers.
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Aloe rupestris, the bottlebrush aloe
Bottlebrush Aloe comes from rocky slopes and bushveld in South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique. It grows on one slim trunk with a dense rosette of arching green leaves. Its dense flower clusters give it the name.
How big does Bottlebrush Aloe get?
It grows moderately fast to about 8 to 18 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide in gardens. It usually keeps a single trunk.
When does Bottlebrush Aloe bloom?
It blooms from late winter into spring. The branched stalk carries 12 to 15 dense, bottlebrush-like clusters about 4 feet above the leaves.
Bottlebrush Aloe in Phoenix summers
It is grown in full sun. In the hottest summers it can look rough, so some afternoon shade helps. Water about every 2 weeks in the warm months once rooted.
Is Bottlebrush Aloe cold hardy?
It is rated to about 25°F without damage. Cold snaps can damage the flower spikes. Cover young plants on the coldest nights.
Bottlebrush Aloe vs other tree aloes
It stays narrow on a single trunk, about 3 to 5 feet wide. Hercules Aloe branches into a much bigger tree.
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