Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Medicinal Aloe - Orange Flowering
This is medicinal aloe, aloe vera, in the form that blooms orange instead of yellow. Its orange tube flowers ride on stalks up to about 3 feet tall, and hummingbirds come to them. The plant itself is the familiar gel-filled aloe, a clump of gray-green leaves 2 to 3 feet tall that fills in from pups. It grows in beds, borders and pots, on low water.
Best for: orange flowers for hummingbirds, a mixed planting with the yellow form, and a low-water clump in a bed, border or pot.
Clusters of orange tube flowers sit on sturdy stalks up to about 3 feet tall. Hummingbirds and other pollinators visit them.
It needs the same sun, water and soil as the yellow-flowered medicinal aloe. Plant both about 3 to 4 feet apart for two colors of flowers.
It grows well in a pot with a large drainage hole and a cactus mix. The clump fills the pot with pups that you can split off and replant.
Wet soil can rot the roots, so plant it where water drains away. It is rated to about 20 to 26°F and needs cover on colder nights.
- Closer group3 ft apart
- Looser group4 ft apart
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 about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer and every 3 to 6 weeks in spring and fall. In winter, water only if rain is short. Let the soil dry in between and never leave it wet.
It is rated to about 20 to 26°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.
Cold, drought or hot full sun can turn the leaves dull brown, gray or purple. The color comes back as conditions improve; give afternoon shade and check the water.
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 is the orange flowering aloe different from the yellow one?
The difference is the flower color. Size, growth and care are the same as the yellow-flowered medicinal aloe.
Is it still aloe vera?
Yes. It is sold as Aloe barbadensis, which is aloe vera. Aloe vera flowers range from yellow to orange.
How big does it get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall. Pups at the base fill it in to a clump about 2 to 4 feet wide.
How far apart should I plant it?
About 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center. The Spacing tab has the numbers.
Do hummingbirds visit the orange flowers?
Yes. Hummingbirds and other pollinators visit the tube flowers.
Sun or shade?
It grows in full sun or part sun. It grows in either, but the leaves look better with some afternoon shade.
How often do I water it?
Once rooted, it needs very little water. Soak it about every 2 to 4 weeks in summer and every 3 to 6 weeks in spring and fall. In winter, water only if rain is short, and never leave it in wet soil.
Why did my aloe turn brown or gray?
Cold, drought or hot full sun can turn the leaves a dull brown, gray or reddish purple. The color comes back as conditions improve.
Can it take frost?
It is rated to about 20 to 26°F. Cover it with frost cloth or a sheet on colder nights, draped to the ground. Do not use plastic sheeting.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. Use a pot with a large drainage hole and a cactus mix. Split off pups as they crowd the pot.
Is it safe for pets?
No. Aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Chewing it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.
Medicinal Aloe - Orange Flowering for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Orange Flowering Medicinal Aloe is aloe vera with orange flowers. It is grown and cared for like the classic yellow-flowered form. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from flowers and size to spacing, sun, 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.
Orange flowering aloe vera
This medicinal aloe blooms orange rather than the usual yellow. Aloe vera flowers range from yellow to orange. The leaves, size and care match the yellow form.
Orange vs yellow flowering medicinal aloe
The two differ in flower color. Both grow into gray-green clumps about 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. Planted together, they give two flower colors with one kind of care.
Watering aloe vera in the Valley
Once rooted, water about every 2 weeks in summer and about weekly in the cool season. Let the soil dry out in between. It needs soil that drains well.
Spacing orange flowering aloe
Plant about 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center. Each clump spreads to about 2 to 4 feet from pups. Divide crowded clumps every few years.
Sun for aloe vera in Phoenix
It takes full sun or part sun. The leaves look better with protection from afternoon sun. Hot sun, cold and drought can turn the leaves brown or purple until conditions improve.
Frost and aloe vera
It is rated to about 20 to 26°F. On colder nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet over it to the ground and take it off in the morning.
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.