Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Erik the Red Aloe
Erik the Red Aloe is a large, upright aloe with long, dark green leaves edged in soft teeth. In winter it sends up tall spikes of scarlet red, tube-shaped flowers that hummingbirds visit. It grows about 5 to 7 feet tall and stays narrow, 2 to 4 feet wide. It makes a strong focal point in a bed or a large container.
Best for: a winter-blooming focal point, hummingbird gardens, narrow beds and large containers.
Long spikes of scarlet red, tube-shaped flowers rise above the leaves in winter and last a long time. They bring color when most of the yard is quiet.
Hummingbirds come to aloe flowers through the cool season. Plant it where you can see the spikes from a window or patio.
It grows about 5 to 7 feet tall but stays 2 to 4 feet wide, so it fits narrow beds. It also works as a specimen in a large container.
It is rated to about 25°F, so cover it on colder nights. Soil that stays wet can rot the roots.
Hold off a few days to a week after planting, then water until new growth shows it has rooted. After that, water about every 2 weeks in the warm months and let the soil dry.
It takes full winter sun, but in summer it looks best with filtered or afternoon shade. Leaves that turn red or purple are a stress sign, so check sun and water.
It is rated to about 25°F. On colder nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet to the ground, not plastic, and take it off in the morning. A tree canopy overhead helps too.
Cut each flower stalk at the base once it dries. It forms a stem as it grows, so give it room upward.
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 Erik the Red Aloe get?
It grows about 5 to 7 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. It forms a stem and stays narrow, so it fits tighter spaces.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in winter into spring, with tall spikes of scarlet red flowers. The spikes last a long time.
Does it attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds visit its red tube flowers through the cool season.
How cold hardy is it?
It is rated to about 25°F. On colder nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet to the ground, not plastic, and remove it in the morning.
Does it need shade in Phoenix?
It takes full sun to part shade. In the Valley, most aloes look best with some filtered or afternoon shade in summer.
Are the leaf teeth sharp?
The teeth along the leaf edges are soft rather than sharp. Wear gloves anyway when you cut flower stalks or handle the leaves.
Does it die after it blooms?
No. Unlike most agaves, aloes keep living after they flower. Just cut the dry flower stalk off at the base.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, water about every 2 weeks in the warm months and let the soil dry between drinks. Soggy soil can rot the roots.
Is it toxic to dogs and cats?
Yes. Aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Chewing the leaves can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy, so keep pets from chewing it.
Erik the Red Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Erik the Red Aloe is a tall, stem-forming aloe known for long-lasting red flower spikes in winter. Below is what to expect on size, sun, water, cold, flowers, hummingbirds and pets in a Valley yard.
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.
Erik the Red Aloe in Phoenix
It grows well in the Valley in sun with some summer afternoon shade. It blooms in winter and is rated to about 25°F.
How tall does Erik the Red Aloe get?
It grows about 5 to 7 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. Its narrow shape suits smaller yards.
When does Erik the Red bloom?
In winter into spring, with long-lasting spikes of scarlet red flowers.
Aloes for hummingbirds
Its red tube flowers draw hummingbirds in the cool season, when few other plants bloom.
Watering Erik the Red Aloe
Once rooted, water about every 2 weeks in the warm months and let the soil dry between drinks.
Is Erik the Red Aloe toxic to pets?
Yes. Aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses if chewed. Keep pets from chewing the leaves.
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.