Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Little Gem Aloe
Little Gem Aloe, also sold as Aloe 'Rooikappie' or Little Red Riding Hood, is a small clumping aloe bred in South Africa in 1974. Its green leaves are spotted with pale windows and fine teeth, and they can darken toward maroon. Orange and yellow flowers open on and off nearly all year. It stays about 16 inches tall and wide, so it fits pots, small spaces and accent spots.
Best for: small spaces and patio pots, accent spots in a low-water bed, and orange and yellow flowers for much of the year.
It stays about 12 to 16 inches tall and about 16 inches wide as a tight clump. That size fits patio pots, narrow beds and small accent spots.
It is free-blooming and not tied to one season, with a peak in fall. Orange buds open to yellow-orange flowers, and pollinators visit them.
It takes full sun to part sun and is grown in low desert gardens. Spotted leaves can darken toward maroon in strong sun.
Soggy soil can rot it, so plant it where water drains away. It is rated to about 25°F, so cover it on colder nights.
Skip water for a few days to a week after planting so the roots can heal. Then water to get it rooted, never leaving the soil soggy.
Once rooted, water only occasionally, about every 2 weeks in the warm months. Let the soil dry between drinks and water less in winter.
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.
Because it flowers on and off nearly all year, cut each stalk as it finishes. Split crowded clumps to fill more pots.
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.
Is Little Gem the same as Aloe 'Rooikappie'?
Yes. Aloe 'Rooikappie', or Little Red Riding Hood, is also sold as Aloe 'Little Gem' and Aloe rudikoppe. Care is the same under every name.
How big does Little Gem Aloe get?
It grows about 12 to 16 inches tall and about 16 inches wide, as a tight clump of rosettes. It fits a patio pot or a narrow bed.
When does it bloom?
It blooms on and off nearly all year, with a peak in fall, as orange buds open to yellow-orange flowers on branched stalks. Cut each stalk off as it finishes.
Does it take full sun in Phoenix?
Yes. It takes full sun to part sun and is grown in low desert gardens. Give it some afternoon shade if the leaves look stressed in summer.
How often should I water it?
Water it only now and then. Once it is rooted, water about every 2 weeks in the warm months and let the soil dry between drinks.
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.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. It is a good pot plant for small spaces. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a gritty mix.
Does it bring hummingbirds?
Pollinators visit the flowers, and aloe tube flowers draw hummingbirds, so leave the stalks up until the flowers finish.
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.
Little Gem Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Little Gem Aloe is the garden cross Aloe 'Rooikappie', also called Little Red Riding Hood. It is a small, spotted, clumping aloe that flowers on and off nearly all year. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard or pot, from size and sun to water, cold and flowers.
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.
Little Gem Aloe, Aloe 'Rooikappie'
Little Gem Aloe is Aloe 'Rooikappie', bred in South Africa by Cynthia Giddy in 1974. It is also sold as Little Red Riding Hood and Aloe rudikoppe. It forms tight clumps of spotted green rosettes.
How big does Little Gem Aloe get?
It grows about 12 to 16 inches tall and about 16 inches wide. It suits small spaces and patio pots.
When does Little Gem Aloe bloom?
It blooms on and off nearly all year, with a peak in fall. The flowers open orange and fade to yellow.
Little Gem Aloe in the low desert
It takes full sun to part sun and is grown in low desert gardens. Water only occasionally once rooted, in soil that drains well.
Is Little Gem Aloe cold hardy?
It is rated to about 25°F. Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet on colder nights, draped to the ground.
Little Gem Aloe in pots
It is a good container plant for small spaces. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a gritty mix.
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.