Identify type of aloe and tips for care (lemm.ee)

submitted 8 months ago by Hellbent@lemm.ee to c/houseplants@mander.xyz

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Can anyone help identify this type of aloe? I have three cuttings from the original plant that was given to my wife. They tend to grow upwards but cannot support their own weight and will break apart so I’m having trouble keeping them healthy. I feel like they should be growing out not up. If I knew what it was I was hoping I could maintain them better.

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[-] Death_Equity@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago

Not sure on the ID because that plant is hella stressed. Might just be aloe vera, but could be juvenna. There can variety within a species that may explain some of the irregularities I'm seeing. Do you have a picture of the healthy mother?

The soil needs to dry out between waterings to encourage root growth and prevent the plant from falling over. Chronically over watered aloe will get floppy and weak.

They don't do fantastically with a hot soil, I cut my Fox Farms Ocean Forest with coco coir and perlite at about 30/50/20 and I have gotten aloe vera to be about 30" wide 3ft tall with more babies than I know what to do with. The only time I fertilized was when I went up a pot size and I just added more of the same soil mix, planted the babies in it too. So if you are using miracle grow or an uncut hot soil, that is bad.

[-] clif@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago

I agree with aloe juvenna as well. Looks like some I used to have.

[-] just_chill@jlai.lu 2 points 8 months ago

I second this opinion, albeit with less fancy words ^^' also feeling sillly that I did not catch it on my own.
Do you think the one by the window is doing better because more sunlight helps it dry faster ?

[-] Death_Equity@lemmy.world 5 points 8 months ago

Probably. The sun exposure only helps you so much until the plant covers the soil and helps trap moisture, then it comes down to the soil mix and the material/color of the pot.

Aloe is stupid tolerant to neglect, I have had big ones I didn't water for a year and they kept on trucking after a good soaking. On the other hand, I have had ones I gave away die in weeks because people kept watering them instead of letting them dry out between waterings.

[-] Hellbent@lemm.ee 4 points 8 months ago

Here’s another one that’s doing better!

https://lemm.ee/pictrs/image/8bc3e1b6-d1c1-4a40-a9e2-82a25a9d0899.jpeg

[-] damnthefilibuster@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

Y’all blowing my mind talking about types of aloe. I thought there’s only the one.

[-] distantsounds@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago

They stretch like that when they aren’t getting enough light. It looks over watered as well. The soil looks very wet, you will want some that drains better and dial back the waterings a tad.

[-] Hellbent@lemm.ee 3 points 8 months ago

And this one’s not doing so well.

[-] BarrelAgedBoredom@lemm.ee 2 points 8 months ago

You need to get some drainage medium in that soil. Perlite, pumice or expanded shale. I do almost 50% of my soil as one/ a combination of the three. Granted I live in a very humid area so you may need less depending on where you are. Succulents need a lot of drainage and air around their roots. They're also really etoliated, they need way more light.

You may be over watering too, it's hard to tell from the pic but the one that's slumped over is a sign. Press the leaves, they should be firm with only a little give. If they feel squishy, they're over watered. New soil should help but you should cut back on watering as well, especially while they're recovering from being transplanted. Once a week when they're growing and once a month when they're dormant will do you just fine. It's coming up on spring so they may start growing soon. Id recommend you put them in some better soil asap, that way they can build new roots and get to growing under better conditions. Best of luck!

[-] Alice@hilariouschaos.com 1 points 8 months ago

wish I knew. Looks good though

[-] Assman@sh.itjust.works 2 points 8 months ago

Oh my god I just learned I have an aloe plant. Always wondered what that little feller was.

[-] Hellbent@lemm.ee 2 points 8 months ago

They were all just watered a day or two ago which is why they look wet. and are all in succulent mix with rocks in the bottom go help keep them from tipping over and for the water to drain out.

[-] Inucune@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Has one. It is going to tip over even if you stake it. Let it, it wants to. If it gets looking sad, trim it back a bit.

You can break off sections at the stem and they will propagate. Does not like direct sunlight.

[-] 000999@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 8 months ago

Looks like an aloe aristata

[-] just_chill@jlai.lu 1 points 8 months ago

How big does it get ? That looks a bit like a baby plant, which is a more difficult to ID.
Some plants are leggy like that, but sometimes it's a lack of light. Does it grows toward the window ?

[-] Hellbent@lemm.ee 2 points 8 months ago

They tend to grow upward but in corkscrews. Not necessarily toward light. Yeah this and the other three are what I was able to salvage from the original that was maybe almost a foot or 14 inches long! It crept right out of the pot and I had to support it on another plant pot.

[-] just_chill@jlai.lu 2 points 8 months ago

I don't have an ID for it I'm afraid, but I think it might be partially how the plant grows, and partially too much water. See the other comment on the thread: get a different soil that dries faster, make sure to have holes at the bottom of the pot, water less.

[-] ThePantser@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

Looks like the aloe succulent I have that shot upwards too. I don't know the name but as it was sold as a succulent maybe that will help narrow it down.

[-] just_chill@jlai.lu 3 points 8 months ago

Succulents are a big group of plants, and aloe just a part of it, but they broadly need the same kind of care: lots of light, not too much water.

this post was submitted on 13 Mar 2024

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