Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Parking Lot Aloe
Parking Lot Aloe is a cross of Mountain Aloe and the smaller Aloe sinkatana. It forms thick rosettes of gray-green leaves edged in reddish-brown teeth, and stays about 1 to 3 feet tall and wide. From fall into winter it sends up branched stalks of orange and yellow tube flowers that hummingbirds visit. It handles drought once rooted and fits desert beds, rock gardens and large pots.
Best for: fall and winter color in a desert bed, a hummingbird stop in the cool months, and a compact aloe for rock gardens and large pots.
It blooms from fall into winter, when much of the yard is quiet. Branched stalks of orange and yellow tube flowers rise above the gray-green rosettes.
Hummingbirds and other pollinators visit the tube flowers. Because it blooms in the cool months, it gives them food when few other plants are in flower.
At about 1 to 3 feet tall and wide, it fits a rock garden, a desert bed edge or a large pot. In a pot, use a drainage hole and a gritty cactus mix.
Soggy soil can rot the roots, so plant it where water drains away fast. It is rated to about 25°F, so cover it on colder nights. The leaf edges carry teeth, so keep it back from walks.
Wait a few days to a week before the first drink so any damaged roots can heal. Then water it regularly until it is rooted.
Water about every 2 weeks from spring through fall and let the soil dry between drinks. In winter, water less often than in summer. Pots dry out faster than the ground and need water more often.
Most aloes in the Valley look better with some afternoon or filtered shade in summer. If the leaves turn reddish, it is a stress sign, so check the water and the afternoon sun.
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 often gives enough cover.
Cut off the dead flower stalks after bloom. That is the main pruning it needs.
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.
What is Parking Lot Aloe?
It is a cross of Mountain Aloe and Aloe sinkatana, a smaller aloe from the mountains of Sudan. It has thick gray-green leaves with reddish-brown teeth along the edges.
How big does Parking Lot Aloe get?
It usually stays about 1 to 3 feet tall and wide. Leave it that much room in a bed, or pick a large pot.
Does it grow into a tall tree like Mountain Aloe?
No. Mountain Aloe grows a single trunk that can reach 10 to 15 feet. This cross stays a compact rosette about 1 to 3 feet tall, so it fits smaller spaces.
When does Parking Lot Aloe bloom?
It blooms from fall into winter. Branched stalks carry tube flowers in shades of orange and yellow above the leaves. Cut the stalks off once the flowers fade.
Does it attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds visit the tube flowers, and bees and other pollinators come too. It feeds them in the cool months when little else is blooming.
Does it need full sun or shade?
It grows in full sun. Most aloes in the Valley look better with some afternoon or filtered shade in summer, so the light shade of a tree canopy works well.
How often should I water it?
Once rooted, water about every 2 weeks in the warm months and let the soil dry between drinks. In winter, water less often than in summer.
How cold hardy is Parking Lot Aloe?
It is rated to about 25°F. On colder nights, drape frost cloth or a sheet all the way to the ground, not plastic. Take it off in the morning once it warms.
Does it die after it blooms like an agave?
No. Aloes keep living after they bloom and can flower again the next year. Just cut off the dead flower stalks.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes, it stays small enough for a large pot. Use a pot with a drainage hole and a gritty cactus mix, and let the mix dry between waterings.
Is Parking Lot Aloe 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 on it.
What soil does it need?
Plant it in soil that drains fast, like sandy or rocky desert soil. Soggy soil can rot the roots, which is the main way aloes are lost. In clay, mix in coarse sand or gravel.
Parking Lot Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Parking Lot Aloe is a cross of Mountain Aloe and Aloe sinkatana, a small clumping aloe from Sudan. It keeps a compact size and blooms from fall into winter. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and sun to water, cold and care.
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.
What is Parking Lot Aloe?
Parking Lot Aloe is a cross of Mountain Aloe and Aloe sinkatana. It has thick gray-green leaves edged in reddish-brown teeth. It stays far smaller than Mountain Aloe, at about 1 to 3 feet tall and wide.
When does Parking Lot Aloe bloom in Arizona?
It blooms from fall into winter. Branched stalks of orange and yellow tube flowers rise above the leaves. Hummingbirds come to feed on them in the cool months.
Parking Lot Aloe vs Mountain Aloe
Mountain Aloe grows a single trunk that can reach 10 to 15 feet tall. Parking Lot Aloe stays a compact rosette about 1 to 3 feet tall. Pick it when you want the Mountain Aloe look in a smaller space.
Sun and water for Parking Lot Aloe in Phoenix
It grows in full sun, but most aloes in the Valley look better with some afternoon shade in summer. Once rooted, water about every 2 weeks in the warm months. Let the soil dry between drinks.
Is Parking Lot Aloe cold hardy?
It is rated to about 25°F. On colder nights, cover it with frost cloth or a sheet draped to the ground, not plastic. A tree canopy overhead is often enough cover for many aloes.
Growing Parking Lot Aloe in a pot
Its compact size suits a large pot on a patio. Use a drainage hole and a gritty cactus mix. Let the mix dry between waterings, and water less in winter.
Caring for Parking Lot Aloe
Plant it in soil that drains fast, because soggy soil can rot the roots. Cut off the dead flower stalks after bloom. Aloes keep living after they flower, so it can bloom again next year.
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.