Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Quiver Tree
Quiver Tree is the South African tree aloe now called Aloidendron dichotomum, long sold as Aloe dichotoma. It grows very slowly into a tree with a pale, peeling trunk and smooth branches that fork again and again, each tipped with a rosette of blue-green leaves. Mature trees carry bright yellow flowers in winter. It is planted as a living sculpture in a dry, sunny yard or kept in a large pot for years.
Best for: a sculptural centerpiece in a dry, sunny yard, a long-lived specimen in a large pot, and yellow winter flowers on mature trees.
Its branches fork in two again and again, each ending in a rosette, above a pale, peeling trunk. It is planted as a dramatic specimen.
It grows very slowly, so the plant you buy stays close to that size for years. In the wild it can reach 25 to 30 feet over many decades.
It grows well in large containers as an indoor and outdoor plant and is popular for bonsai. Use a coarse, fast-draining mix.
It rots in wet soil, so drainage must be excellent. In the hottest low desert spots, give it part shade or protection from late afternoon sun.
Give it a few days to a week without water after planting. After that, water it on a steady schedule until new growth shows it has rooted, and let the soil dry in between.
Water sparingly once rooted and let the soil dry fully between drinks. Keep it dry in cold weather, when it rests, since wet soil rots it.
It is rated to about 20 to 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. Wrap the trunk if a freeze near 23°F is coming. The trunk is more tender than the leaves.
In the hottest low desert spots, give it part shade or protection from late afternoon sun.
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 the Quiver Tree an aloe?
It was long called Aloe dichotoma. In 2013 it moved to its own genus and is now Aloidendron dichotomum. Nurseries still sell it under both names.
How fast does it grow?
It grows very slowly and can take many years to reach flowering size. Buy a plant close to the size you want.
How big does it get?
In gardens it grows about 5 to 25 feet tall over many years. Old trees in the wild reach about 30 feet with a wide crown.
Why is it called quiver tree?
The San people hollowed out its tubular branches to make quivers for their arrows.
When does it bloom?
Mature trees bloom in winter with bright yellow flowers at the branch tips, and birds come to feed on them. Young plants take years to reach blooming size.
Does it need full sun in Phoenix?
It takes full sun to part sun. In the hottest low desert spots, give it part shade or protect it from late afternoon sun.
How often should I water it?
Water it very little, because it rots in wet soil. Let the soil dry fully between drinks and keep it dry in cold weather, when it rests.
How cold hardy is it?
It is rated to about 20 to 25°F and hardy in Phoenix to about 23°F. Wrap the trunk if a freeze that cold is coming.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. It grows well in containers and is popular for bonsai. Use a coarse, fast-draining mix.
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.
Quiver Tree for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Quiver Tree, Aloidendron dichotomum (formerly Aloe dichotoma), is a slow-growing tree aloe from the deserts of southern Africa. Its forked branches and peeling trunk make it a living sculpture. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from growth 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.
Quiver Tree, Aloidendron dichotomum
The Quiver Tree was known for years as Aloe dichotoma and moved to the genus Aloidendron in 2013. It grows wild in the Northern Cape of South Africa and southern Namibia. Its forked branches give it the name dichotomum.
How fast does a Quiver Tree grow?
It grows very slowly and can take many years to bloom. The plant you buy stays close to its size for years.
Quiver Tree in Phoenix sun
It takes full sun to part sun. In the hottest low desert areas, part shade or protection from late afternoon sun helps.
Watering a Quiver Tree
Water very little, in coarse soil that drains fast. It rots in wet soil. Keep it dry in cold weather, when it rests.
Is the Quiver Tree cold hardy?
It is rated to about 20 to 25°F, and in Phoenix it takes about 23°F. Wrap the trunk if a freeze that cold is forecast.
Quiver Tree flowers
Mature trees carry bright yellow flowers at the tips of the branches in winter. Birds come to the flowers while they last.
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.