Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Malagasy Tree Aloe
Malagasy Tree Aloe is a tree aloe from southern Madagascar. It grows one trunk topped with a single big rosette of long, curved green leaves edged in white teeth. In mid-winter it sends up upright, branched spikes of deep red flowers that hummingbirds visit. In winter and strong sun the leaves take on red tones as well. It grows slowly on low water into a tall accent, about 8 to 12 feet high over the years.
Best for: a tall single accent in a succulent bed, deep red winter flowers for hummingbirds, red winter leaf color, and warm, low-water spots beside other aloes and agaves.
It does not branch or form a clump. Over the years it builds a single trunk topped with one rosette of long, curved leaves, up to about 5 feet across.
Upright, branched spikes of deep red, tube-shaped flowers rise in mid-winter, roughly November to February. Hummingbirds and bees visit the flowers.
In winter and in strong sun, the smooth green leaves take on red tones. That gives the rosette color of its own, before and after the flower spikes.
It is one of the less cold-hardy aloes. Leaves can be damaged below about 30°F, and it is not rated much below that. Soggy soil can rot the roots.
- Plant to plant5 ft 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.
Once rooted, a deep drink about every 2 weeks in the warm months is enough. Let the soil dry between drinks, since soggy soil rots the roots.
It is rated to about 30°F, one of the less hardy 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. Plant it on a warm south or west side, or under a tree canopy, if you can.
It grows as one unbranched trunk with a single rosette, so there are no pups to split. Cut the dead flower stalks after the 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 tall and wide does Malagasy Tree Aloe get?
Usually 8 to 12 feet tall over many years, on a single trunk. The rosette of leaves reaches about 4 to 5 feet across.
How fast does it grow?
It grows slowly, adding height to its single trunk over many years. Buy a plant close to the size you want.
Does it make pups or branch?
No. It grows as one rosette on an unbranched trunk, unlike the clumping aloes that spread by pups.
When does it bloom, and does it bring hummingbirds?
It blooms in mid-winter, roughly November to February. Upright, branched spikes carry deep red, tube-shaped flowers, and hummingbirds and bees visit them.
Why are the leaves turning red?
Red tones in winter and in strong sun are normal for this aloe. In summer, red or purple leaves can also be a stress sign from heat, sun or too little water.
Does it need full sun or shade?
It grows in full sun. In the Valley, aloes look better with some afternoon or filtered shade in the hottest months, so give it that if you can.
How often should I water it?
Water it about every 2 weeks in the warm months. It is drought tolerant once rooted in, and soggy soil can rot the roots.
What soil does it need?
Plant it in soil that drains well. Rocky, gritty or lean soil suits it. Heavy, wet soil is the thing to avoid.
How cold hardy is it in Phoenix?
It is one of the less cold-hardy aloes. Leaves can be damaged below about 30°F, which is about its limit. Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet, not plastic, on nights forecast that cold.
Where should I plant it to help with frost?
Plant it in a warm spot. South and west sides near block walls stay warmest, and a tree canopy overhead gives many aloes enough winter cover.
Is it toxic to pets?
Yes, aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. If a pet chews it, vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy are the usual signs, so plant it where pets cannot get at it.
Malagasy Tree Aloe or Cape Aloe?
Both are single-trunk tree aloes that bloom in winter. Malagasy Tree Aloe has smooth green leaves with white teeth and deep red flowers. Cape Aloe has spiny blue-green leaves, orange to red flowers, and takes colder nights.
Malagasy Tree Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Malagasy Tree Aloe is a slow-growing tree aloe from southern Madagascar, with one large rosette on a single trunk. It blooms deep red in mid-winter, and hummingbirds come to the flowers. Below is what to expect here, from size and winter color to sun, water and cold.
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What is Malagasy Tree Aloe?
Aloe vaombe comes from southern Madagascar, where it grows in dry thorny scrub. It forms a single, unbranched trunk topped with one rosette of long, curved green leaves. The leaf edges carry white teeth.
How tall does Malagasy Tree Aloe get?
Plan on 8 to 12 feet tall over many years, with a rosette about 4 to 5 feet across. It grows slowly and stays a single rosette. It does not clump or make pups.
When does Malagasy Tree Aloe bloom?
It blooms in mid-winter, roughly November to February. Upright, branched spikes of deep red, tube-shaped flowers rise above the rosette. Hummingbirds and bees visit them.
Why Malagasy Tree Aloe leaves turn red in winter
The green leaves take on rich red tones in winter and in strong sun. This is normal for the species. In summer, reddish or purple leaves can also mean heat, sun or too little water is stressing it.
Can Malagasy Tree Aloe handle a Phoenix freeze?
It is one of the less cold-hardy aloes. Leaves can be damaged below about 30°F, and it is not rated much below that. On nights forecast that cold, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet draped to the ground, and take it off in the morning.
Watering Malagasy Tree Aloe in the desert
Water about every 2 weeks in the warm months. It is drought tolerant once rooted in. Plant it in soil that drains well, since soggy soil can rot the roots.
Malagasy Tree Aloe vs Cape Aloe
Both grow a single trunk and bloom in winter. Malagasy Tree Aloe has smooth green leaves with white teeth and deep red flowers, and frost can damage it near 30°F. Cape Aloe has spiny blue-green leaves and orange to red flowers, and it is rated to about 24°F.
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