Fan aloe

Aloe plicatilis

Description

The Fan aloe is a perfect container, raised planter and rock garden plant in both residential and commercial plantings. It is a slow growing species with thick branching stems slowly growing 5-6 ft. tall and as wide. Pale gray-green leaves, 10-12 in. long, grow in attractive opposite fan-like layers. Orange flowers occur on unbranched spikes in early spring.

Fan aloe is from mild and dry climate regions of the southwestern Cape region of South Africa where it grows on sandy, acid and well-drained soils, and experiences seasonal drought. Damaged by temperatures below 28°F, this species does best in protected zones of the Inland Empire. Like other aloes, this species attracts birds and provides pleasing winter time color.

Plant Type: Aloe
Foliage Character: Succulent, Evergreen
Habit: Upright, Mounding, Low-branching
Growth Rate: Slow
Foliage Color: Pale green
Flower Color: Orange
Flower Season: Spring
Soil Adaptations: Sand, Acidic soil, Well-draining soil
Exposure Adaptations: Heat, Drought, Aridity, All day sun, Partial sun, Wind
Function: Rock gardens, Raised planters, Near pools and water features, Hummingbird plant, Grouped, Container plant
Height: 5 ft. – 6 ft.
Width: 5 ft. – 6 ft.

Watering Schedule: Low 2

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 2 weeks after establishment.

Learn how to apply this watering schedule to your landscape on our How to water waterwise and California native plants page.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another two weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
To save water, in many cases you can go longer in between waterings during the winter, often up to 3-4 weeks between watering for well-established plants. Two weeks after watering, check the soil approximately 4” below the surface. If it is still significantly moist, you can wait longer before watering again.
In most cases, if you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, you may use these features to save some water in in the fall and winter. If you are using automatic weather adjusting functions, continue to allow the timer to run every two weeks. It will adjust the number of minutes it runs to account for the cooler weather.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.