Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Soap Aloe
Soap Aloe is a fast, low-growing aloe with short rosettes of green leaves splashed with white spots and edged in brown teeth. It makes many pups and fills in as a low clump about 1 to 1.5 feet tall. Tall, branched stalks of orange to red flowers rise in spring and summer, and hummingbirds visit them. It is used in rock and cactus gardens, in containers and as an understory plant beneath trees.
Best for: filling a rock or cactus garden fast, an understory plant beneath a tree, a container, and orange-red flowers for hummingbirds.
It grows fast and makes many pups, filling in as a low clump. Rosettes stay about 1 to 1.5 feet tall, so it works as a low filler in a rock or cactus garden.
Plant it beneath a tree or large shrub as an understory plant. There it gets the partial shade it prefers in summer.
Branched stalks up to about 2 feet carry orange, red or yellow tube flowers in spring and summer. Hummingbirds come to feed on them.
The leaf edges carry sharp brown teeth. It is rated to about 20 to 28°F and recovers quickly if frosted back, so cover it on the coldest nights.
- Plant to plant2 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.
Give it occasional water in the hot, dry summer and let the soil dry between drinks. It needs little water in winter.
It is rated to about 20 to 28°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. It recovers quickly if frosted back.
It makes many pups, so pull or divide crowded clumps every few years. Cut the dead flower stalks after bloom. The sap can irritate skin.
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.
Why is it called soap aloe?
The sap makes a sudsy foam when mixed with water and was used as soap. The sap can irritate skin.
Is Soap Aloe the same as Aloe saponaria?
Yes. It was long called Aloe saponaria and is now Aloe maculata. It is also sold as tiger aloe and zebra aloe.
How big does it get?
Rosettes reach about 1 to 1.5 feet tall and wide. It spreads with pups into a wider low clump, so leave it room or pull pups to keep it in place.
How fast does it grow?
It grows fast and makes many pups over its life. Pull or divide them to keep the clump in bounds.
When does it bloom?
It blooms in spring and summer. Tall, branched stalks carry orange, red or yellow flowers, so cut the stalks off once they dry.
Does it bring hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds visit the tube flowers in spring and summer.
Does it need shade?
It takes full sun or part shade but looks better with some afternoon shade in summer. Plant it under a tree or where it gets afternoon shade.
How often should I water it?
Give it occasional water in the hot, dry summer and let the soil dry between drinks. Plant it where the soil drains well.
How cold hardy is Soap Aloe?
It is rated to about 20 to 28°F and recovers quickly if frosted back. Cover it on the coldest nights.
Why are the leaf tips turning red?
Drought or cool weather can turn the tips red or purple. It is a stress sign, so check that it gets occasional water in the summer heat.
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.
Soap Aloe for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Soap Aloe, Aloe maculata (long sold as Aloe saponaria), is a fast, clumping aloe with white-spotted leaves. It flowers orange to red in spring and summer. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and spread to sun, water, cold and the soap name.
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.
Soap Aloe, Aloe maculata
Soap Aloe is Aloe maculata, long sold as Aloe saponaria. It grows wild from South Africa's Eastern Cape to Zimbabwe. Its green leaves carry white spots and sharp brown teeth.
How big does Soap Aloe get?
Rosettes grow about 1 to 1.5 feet tall and wide. It grows fast and spreads with pups into a low clump.
When does Soap Aloe bloom?
It blooms in spring and summer. Tall, branched stalks carry orange, red or yellow flowers, and hummingbirds visit them.
Soap Aloe in Phoenix sun
It takes full sun to part shade, and it looks better with some afternoon shade in summer. It is often planted as an understory plant beneath a tree.
Watering Soap Aloe
Give it occasional water in the hot, dry summer. Let the soil dry between drinks. Sandy or gravelly soil that drains well suits it.
Is Soap Aloe cold hardy?
It is rated to about 20 to 28°F and recovers quickly if frosted back. Cover it on the coldest nights.
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.