I'm just piggybacking on this one if you don't mind. I have a sick aloe vera, too. I wonder if it got too wet or too cool (or both). It's losing its color and getting limp. It was a baby off of my mom's humongous one that's now gone. My sister's is doing great. I saw some advice about checking the roots to see if they were OK (like nueva gardener did above) and haven't done that yet. I wanted to have the soil on hand first (cactus or African Violet soil was recommended -- it's been in sand for decades and that's what it's still in). Anyway -- my real question was with rooting in the perlite. Do you wet IT when you first start out? Thanks! Flo :-)

The Dry Garden in Oakland. They at times also get Aloe barberae 'medusa' Aloe dichotoma(real chunky stemmed plants at a very good price)and I'm sure he could get Aloe 'hercule's' that I understand doesn't waste time getting big even here in the bay area. Maybe the Longs nursery in Oakland on Broadway might carry it on occasion. I heard they actually order plants for those serious on purchasing what they ask for.

Destroy the soil that it was in. Use fresh mix, 60% pumice coarse quartzite. 40% only 10% organic mix, I suggestg orchid mix. Don't use any cuttings until they are rooted first. Put in damp soil then wait two weeks before you water again, winter is not a good time to start plans unless they are winter growers, EXP: (Aeonium) and it will depend where you live and what your weather is like, a lot of humidity in the air will make it much more difficult. Remember where they orginated in the first place (their native location.

That sounds like an excellent plan. Yes, and rocks are your friend there, but then again, the stem's eminently ready for being somewhat tightly staked, isn't it? There may be some truth to the folk wisdom concerning pronouncing 'plicatilis' in a Donald Duck voice aiding the rooting process. If I may be so forward, can you spare a cutting for a brother? I'll be in AZ in December and would pay shipping costs gladly. I'd love to grow this one again.