Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Cape Aloe
Cape Aloe is a South African tree aloe that grows a single trunk under a big rosette of thick, blue-green leaves. In winter it raises several branched flower spikes like a candelabra, with orange to red flowers that hummingbirds visit. Over the years it reaches about 6 to 10 feet tall on low water. It is used as a bold accent in courtyards, rock gardens and succulent beds.
Best for: a bold accent in a courtyard, rock garden or succulent bed, winter flower spikes for hummingbirds, and low-water yards that want height from a succulent.
It grows one trunk topped by a dense rosette of thick leaves 2 to 3 feet long. Over many years it reaches about 6 to 10 feet tall with a rosette 3 to 5 feet across. Use it as a single accent in a courtyard, a large container or a rock garden with other succulents.
In winter it raises several branched flower spikes above the leaves, like a candelabra. The tube-shaped flowers are usually orange to red, and hummingbirds visit them. Cut the old stalks off once the flowers fade.
Once rooted, it needs only occasional deep water in summer, about every 2 weeks in the warm months. Give it full sun, or light shade from the western afternoon sun in a Phoenix summer.
Short, stout spines line the leaf edges and sometimes the leaf faces. Leaves can be damaged below about 24°F. Soggy soil can rot the roots, so plant it where water drains away.
- Plant to plant5 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, give an occasional deep drink in the hot, dry summer. Let the soil dry between drinks and keep it on the dry side the rest of the year.
It is rated to about 24°F, with leaf damage below that. On frosty nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning.
Old leaves dry and hang down the trunk as a brown skirt. That is normal, so leave it. The only trimming it needs is cutting dead 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 tall does Cape Aloe get?
It usually grows 6 to 10 feet tall over many years, on a single trunk. The rosette spreads about 3 to 5 feet wide, so give it that much room from walls and walks.
When does Cape Aloe bloom?
It blooms in winter into early spring. Several branched spikes rise above the rosette like a candelabra, with orange to red flowers and yellow now and then. Cut the stalks off once the flowers fade.
Does it bring hummingbirds?
Yes. The tube-shaped winter flowers draw hummingbirds, along with bees and other birds. Leave the stalks up until the flowers fade so they keep feeding.
Is Cape Aloe a medicinal aloe?
It is one of the medicinal aloes. Its bitter leaf latex is harvested in South Africa for laxatives, and its leaf juice goes into skin products much like aloe vera. Do not eat it or give it to pets.
Are the spines sharp?
Yes. The name ferox means fierce. Short, stout, yellow to reddish-brown spines line the leaf edges, and some plants have prickles on the leaf faces too. Plant it back from walks and wear gloves when you work near it.
Does it need full sun or shade?
It grows in full sun and takes some shade. In Phoenix, give it light shade or protection from the western afternoon sun in summer.
How often should I water it?
Once it is rooted, water about every 2 to 4 weeks in the warm months and let the soil dry between drinks. Keep it on the dry side in winter, since it needs little water then.
How cold hardy is Cape Aloe?
Growers rate it hardy to about 24°F, and the leaves can be damaged below that. On nights forecast that cold, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet draped to the ground.
Should I cut off the dry lower leaves?
No, leave them. The dry lower leaves hang on and form a brown skirt under the rosette, which is normal for this aloe. The only pruning it needs is cutting off dead flower stalks.
Does it make pups?
It grows as a single trunk rather than a spreading clump, so it does not fill in with pups. Buy one plant for each spot you want to fill.
Is Cape Aloe toxic to pets?
Yes. Aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and the bitter latex in the leaves is a strong laxative. Chewing it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy, so plant it where pets cannot reach it.
Cape Aloe or Malagasy Tree Aloe?
Cape Aloe has spiny blue-green leaves, orange to red flowers, and is rated to about 24°F. Malagasy Tree Aloe has smoother green leaves with white teeth and deep red flowers, and frost can damage it near 30°F. Choose Cape Aloe for colder spots in the yard.
Cape Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Cape Aloe is a South African tree aloe with a single trunk under a big rosette of blue-green leaves. Each winter it raises branched spikes of orange to red flowers, and hummingbirds come to them. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and sun to water, cold and the dry leaf skirt.
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.
Cape Aloe, the South African tree aloe
Aloe ferox comes from South Africa and Lesotho, where it grows on rocky slopes and in scrub. It forms a single trunk under a dense rosette of thick, blue-green leaves. The name ferox means fierce, after the spiny leaves.
How tall does Cape Aloe grow in Phoenix?
Plan on about 6 to 10 feet tall over many years, with a rosette 3 to 5 feet across. It builds its trunk slowly. Dry old leaves stay on under the rosette as a brown skirt.
When does Cape Aloe bloom in Arizona?
It blooms in winter into early spring. Several branched flower spikes rise above the leaves in a candelabra shape. The flowers are usually orange to red, and hummingbirds visit them.
Is Cape Aloe the same as aloe vera?
No, it is a separate, much larger species. Its leaf juice is used for many of the same things as aloe vera, like skin creams. Its bitter latex is harvested in South Africa for laxatives.
Does Cape Aloe need shade in Phoenix?
It grows in full sun and takes some shade. In a Phoenix summer, light shade or protection from the western afternoon sun is best. Most aloes in the Valley look better with some summer afternoon shade.
Is Cape Aloe cold hardy?
Growers rate it hardy to about 24°F, and the leaves can be damaged below that. On colder nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning.
How often to water Cape Aloe
Water about every 2 weeks in the warm months, with only occasional deep soaks once it is rooted in. It grows in the cool season, so a weekly drink in a dry winter is fine in soil that drains well.
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