Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Lace Aloe
Lace Aloe is a small, stemless succulent that forms a low mound of dark green rosettes. The leaves are dotted with white bumps and edged with soft white teeth, which gives it a lacy look. In late spring it sends up orange flowers on stalks 1 to 2 feet tall. It fits a pot, a rock garden or the front of a shady bed.
Best for: a small pot or patio container, the front of a rock garden, and a spot in light shade under a tree.
Each rosette is only about 4 to 6 inches across, and the plant stays 6 to 9 inches tall. It is grown in pots, small containers and even indoors.
It fits the front of a rock garden or a gap between boulders, where water runs off fast. Over time the pups fill in a clump 1 to 2 feet wide.
It prefers light shade in the Valley. A spot under a tree canopy or with morning sun and afternoon shade keeps the leaves looking good.
Too much water can rot the roots, most of all in winter. Use soil or a pot mix that drains fast and let it dry between drinks.
- Plant to plant12 in apart
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.
Water in the warm months when the soil is dry. Give very little water in winter, when wet soil can rot it.
It is rated to about 15 to 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 prefers light shade or morning sun. It makes pups readily; let a detached pup dry for several days before planting it.
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 Lace Aloe get?
It grows about 6 to 9 inches tall. Each rosette is about 4 to 6 inches across, and a clump spreads 1 to 2 feet wide with pups.
Is Lace Aloe a real aloe?
It was long called Aloe aristata. In 2014 it was moved to its own group, Aristaloe, because it is closer to plants like haworthia. Nurseries still sell it as Lace Aloe.
Does it need sun or shade?
It prefers light shade in the Valley. Morning sun and afternoon shade, or a spot under a tree, works well.
How often should I water Lace Aloe?
Water in the warm months when the soil is dry, and give very little water in winter. Too much water can rot the roots.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in late spring. Orange tube flowers hang from stalks about 1 to 2 feet tall, well above the rosettes.
Does it bring hummingbirds?
Yes. Aloe flowers are tube shaped and draw hummingbirds, and Lace Aloe's orange flowers are visited by birds and bees.
How cold hardy is Lace Aloe?
It is one of the hardier small aloes, rated to about 15 to 20°F. It grows outdoors in Phoenix. Keep it on the dry side in cold weather.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. It is often grown in pots and even as a houseplant. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a gritty mix.
How do I split off the pups?
It makes pups around the base. Cut or pull one off, let the cut dry for several days, then plant it in dry, gritty soil.
Is Lace Aloe toxic to pets?
Treat it as toxic and keep pets from chewing it. It was grouped with aloe for most of its history, and aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
Does it die after blooming?
No. It keeps growing after it flowers. Just cut off the dead flower stalks.
Lace Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Lace Aloe is a small South African succulent, now called Aristaloe aristata. It forms a mound of dark green rosettes with white dots and soft teeth, and it blooms orange in late spring. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard or pot, from size and shade to water, cold and pups.
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.
Lace Aloe, Aristaloe aristata
Lace Aloe comes from South Africa and Lesotho. It was sold for years as Aloe aristata and was moved to its own group, Aristaloe, in 2014. It is a small stemless succulent with white-dotted leaves.
How big does Lace Aloe get?
It stays about 6 to 9 inches tall. Each rosette is about 4 to 6 inches across. It makes pups and spreads into a mound 1 to 2 feet wide.
Can Lace Aloe grow in shade in Phoenix?
Yes. It prefers light shade in the Valley, like most small aloes. Plant it under a tree canopy or where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade.
How often to water Lace Aloe in Arizona
Water in the warm months when the soil has dried out. Give very little water in winter. Soil or a pot mix that drains fast keeps the roots from rotting.
Is Lace Aloe cold hardy?
It is rated to about 15 to 20°F, hardier than many aloes. It grows outdoors in Phoenix. Keep it dry in cold weather, since wet winter soil can rot the roots.
When does Lace Aloe bloom?
It blooms in late spring. Orange tube flowers hang from stalks about 1 to 2 feet tall. Hummingbirds and bees visit them.
Lace Aloe in pots
It is often grown in pots and indoors. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a gritty mix. Split off the pups to fill more pots.
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.