Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Coral Aloe
Coral Aloe is a low, stemless aloe with a rosette of broad, pale gray-green leaves edged in coral pink. The leaf edges are smooth, with no spines. In late winter it sends up tall, branched stalks of coral-orange flowers that hummingbirds visit. It stays about 1 to 2 feet tall and fits patio pots, walkways, borders and succulent beds with some afternoon shade.
Best for: patio pots and walkways where smooth, spineless leaves matter, winter color for hummingbirds, and small succulent beds with some afternoon shade.
The leaf edges are smooth and spineless, so it can sit along a walkway or in a patio container. It stays low, about 1 to 2 feet tall.
In late winter, typically February in Phoenix, tall branched stalks carry coral-orange tube flowers. Hummingbirds visit them into early spring.
Set plants about 18 to 24 inches apart for a border or a small group in a succulent or rock garden. Each plant usually stays a single rosette.
Hot western afternoon sun and reflected heat are hard on it, so give it some shade. Leaves can be damaged below about 20 to 24°F. Soggy soil can rot the roots.
- Closer group18 in apart
- Looser group24 in 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 a deep soak about every 2 weeks, with a little extra in the hottest months. Let the soil dry between drinks.
It is rated to about 20 to 24°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.
Give it afternoon shade or filtered light and keep it away from western sun and reflected heat. Cut the flower stalks after the late winter 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 Coral Aloe get?
It stays about 1 to 2 feet tall, with a rosette about 1.5 to 2 feet across. The flower stalks rise a few feet higher in bloom.
Does Coral Aloe have spines?
No. The leaf edges are smooth and spineless, with a coral to orange-pink stripe. That makes it a good aloe for walkways and pots.
How far apart should I plant Coral Aloe?
Plant them about 18 to 24 inches apart, center to center, for a border or a small group.
When does Coral Aloe bloom?
It blooms from late winter into early spring, typically February in Phoenix. Tall, branched stalks carry flat-topped clusters of coral-orange flowers.
Does it bring hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds come to the coral flowers in late winter, so plant it where you can watch them.
Does Coral Aloe need shade in Phoenix?
Yes, some shade helps. It does best with afternoon shade or filtered light in the low desert. Keep it out of hot western sun and away from reflected heat.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, a deep soak about every 2 weeks in the warm months is enough. It does best with a little extra water in the hottest summer months. Soggy soil can rot it.
How cold hardy is Coral Aloe?
It is rated to about 20 to 24°F. On colder nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet to the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning.
Does Coral Aloe make pups?
It usually grows as a single rosette. Some plants slowly form a small clump, which can be divided every few years.
Is Coral Aloe toxic to pets?
Yes. Aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Chewing the leaves can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.
Coral Aloe or Blue Elf Aloe?
Coral Aloe is a single, broad rosette with smooth coral-edged leaves and wants afternoon shade. Blue Elf forms a clump of narrow blue-gray leaves and takes full sun and reflected heat.
Coral Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Coral Aloe is a small South African aloe with smooth, coral-edged leaves and no spines. Each late winter it raises branched stalks of coral-orange flowers for hummingbirds. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and spacing to shade, 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.
Coral Aloe, the spineless South African aloe
Aloe striata comes from South Africa. Its broad, pale gray-green leaves have smooth edges with no spines. The name striata refers to the fine lines along the leaves.
How big does Coral Aloe get in Arizona?
It stays about 1 to 2 feet tall, with a rosette about 1.5 to 2 feet wide. The rosette stays low to the ground rather than forming a trunk. It grows at a moderate rate.
How far apart to plant Coral Aloe
Space plants about 18 to 24 inches apart, center to center. That works for a border, a small group or a row along a walkway. Each plant usually stays a single rosette.
When does Coral Aloe bloom in Phoenix?
It blooms in late winter into early spring, typically February in Phoenix. Tall, branched stalks hold flat-topped clusters of coral-orange flowers, and hummingbirds visit them.
Does Coral Aloe need shade?
In the low desert it does best with afternoon shade or filtered light. Protect it from hot western afternoon sun and reflected heat.
Is Coral Aloe cold hardy?
It is rated to about 20 to 24°F. On colder nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet draped to the ground, not plastic. Remove the cover in the morning as it warms.
Coral Aloe vs Blue Elf Aloe
Both are small aloes with winter flowers for hummingbirds. Coral Aloe is a single broad rosette with smooth, coral-edged leaves and likes afternoon shade. Blue Elf is a clump of narrow blue-gray leaves that takes full sun.
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.