Plant Care Cape Aloe

Cape Aloe

4.4 out of 5 (8 experiences)

Cape Aloe has a Survivor plant personality Survivor
Cape Aloe has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower

About Cape Aloe

Many people are familiar with Aloe vera, but this genus of plants contains tons of other beautiful succulent plants that come in all sorts of colors! Their succulent leaves evolved to store water in dry climates, which makes them a perfect fit if you're a busy plant parent. With great care (and a lot of sunlight) you may even see your Aloe bloom! Their flowers grow out of a large spike and can be shades of red, orange, and yellow. 🔥

Taxonomy

Aloe ferox
Aloe
Asphodelaceae
Asparagales

How to care for Cape Aloe

💦 Water

How often to water your Cape Aloe

Water needs for Cape Aloe
0.5 cups
every 12

Cape Aloe needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Cape Aloe

Water 0.5 cups every
12

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Cape Aloe in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Cape Aloe: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Cape Aloe love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Cape Aloe does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Cape Aloe in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Cape Aloe

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Cape Aloe: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Cape Aloe after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #CapeAloe
💡 FAQs
💦 Water Needs

Cape Aloe thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Cape Aloe Water Frequency →

Cape Aloe Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Cape Aloe requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Cape Aloe Light Requirements →

Cape Aloe Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Cape Aloe is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.

Is Cape Aloe Edible? →

Cape Aloe Toxicity to Cats →

Cape Aloe Toxicity to Dogs →

Cape Aloe Toxicity to Humans →


💨 Humidity

Cape Aloe enjoys lots of humidity. Provide humidity for your plant by watering regularly and thoroughly, since plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves. They may also benefit from being placed next to a humidifier.

Cape Aloe Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Cape Aloe is very sensitive to wet soil, so choose a potting soil that drains very well and doesn’t retain too much moisture. A good soil will have lots of perlite or vermiculite for drainage and some organic matter for nutrition. A few handfuls of perlite added to regular store-bought cactus soil will do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Cape Aloe →

Best Pots for Cape Aloe →

When and How to Successfully Repot Cape Aloe →

What Are Healthy Cape Aloe Roots →


💩 Fertilizer

Cape Aloe should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Cape Aloe →


❄️ Dormancy

It’s common for Cape Aloe to go dormant in the summertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.


🌎 Native Region

Cape Aloe is native to Southern Africa to India.


🌸 Flowers
🌦️ Growing Outdoors
🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


😖 Common Issues

Overwatering is a likely cause of issues with Cape Aloe. These plants are very sensitive to wet soil so if you notice your plant becoming squishy or translucent, overwatering is the likely culprit.

Cut your plant just past where the rot ends and allow it to callus over for a few days before replanting it in fresh, dry soil. Download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


Care Summary for Cape Aloe

Cape Aloe

Cape Aloe


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 12 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Cape Aloe has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 5
Cape Aloe has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 2
Cape Aloe has a Blooms easily plant personality Blooms easily 1
Cape Aloe has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 1
Cape Aloe has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 1
Cape Aloe has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 1
@poisonivywannab avatar
@@poisonivywannab
leaf-1 8 Plants
xp 1,020 XP
globe Rockwood, TN
03/20/2022

i bought this plant over a year ago in a target grow kit! it lived in the metal pot it came in for awhile due to me not having much space to put a larger pot! it lived and never darkened. i would just water when i thought about it and it’s never gave up on me. since moving and having more space and a perfect windowsill for plants, it’s been repotted and has starting growing more little baby aloe leaves.

Blooms easily Blooms easily
Survivor Survivor
@sophbug270405 avatar
@@sophbug270405
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 124 XP
globe Glasgow, Scotland
08/08/2021

Very resilient, doesn’t need watered often, is a bit prickly !

Survivor Survivor
@saintella avatar
@@saintella
leaf-1 1 Plants
xp 117 XP
globe Stillwater, Auckland
06/05/2021

generally very easy to look after and doesn’t seem to change. I often forget to water these guys but being a succulent they don’t seem to brown or shrivel because of this!

Survivor Survivor

Trending in your area

Similar to Cape Aloe

Discover rare plants