The waxy succulent foliage can change from blue-green to pink and purple tones depending on how much sunlight they receive. The tubular flowers which bloom in shades of yellow, orange and red will add a burst of interesting color to your garden in the summer, and their nectar is attractive to pollinators. Sprawling jewel aloes grow well as decorative ground cover in dry, Mediterranean-style climates. It’s a great choice for adding to a spacious rock garden, it can add interest to edges. Mature specimens can spread upwards of five feet across. Some gardeners use it for mass ground cover, and others keep it contained in a clumping form that can be mixed in with cacti and other drought-tolerant species. The main care requirement, as with all succulents, is to make sure you don’t overwater your jewel aloe. If your climate is dry and hot, the soil is well-drained, and the plant gets plenty of sunlight, it should thrive.
Light
Your jewel aloe needs to be planted where it’ll receive lots of sunlight. Although they can survive in partial shade, consistently bright conditions ensure the leaves remain at their most interesting and colorful. Shade results in whiter teeth and greener foliage. Full sun turns the teeth bright yellow, and the leaves take on bronze and purple shades.
Soil
Sandy, rocky soils and potting mediums are best for jewel aloe plants. They have a preference for alkaline pH levels but do fine in neutral soils too. The key is that it’s well-drained.
Water
Jewel aloes, like other succulent varieties, can’t tolerate standing water. You should be careful not to overwater them, or they’ll develop root rot. Once established, the plant is drought-tolerant, but during their growing season, modest watering is beneficial—just make sure the soil has an opportunity to fully dry in-between times. When the plant is dormant, watering should be done very sparingly, once every couple of months is often more than enough.
Temperature and Humidity
Although jewel aloe does best in warmer, coastal climates (around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit) that are not humid or overly rainy, it is known to be surprisingly frost hardy. Enthusiasts have reported it can handle temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. It won’t do well in humid, wet, temperate environments.
Fertilizer
During the summer months, when your jewel aloe is growing, it’ll appreciate being fed with a fertilizer designed specifically for cacti. It won’t, however, need any additional feeding during its winter dormancy.
Propagating Jewel Aloe
Succulents are super easy to propagate from offset cuttings, and the jewel aloe is no exception. It also germinates well from seed provided it’s sown into a well-drained medium and it has sufficient warmth.
Potting and Repotting Jewel Aloe
Jewel aloe grows well in containers, also indoors, as long as you use suitable potting soil. Aloes aren’t known for being fast growers. Because of this, you shouldn’t have to repot container-grown jewel aloe regularly. You should only consider it if they’re becoming too heavy and tipping their existing container, or if they’re no longer growing.
