Zombie Aloe!!! Reluctant to root, refuses to die!

10 years ago

Hi everyone!
I'm a long time lurker of GW I've learned so much from all of you! I was wondering if anyone could help me with this aloe, My aunt gave it to me on Easter. The pieces seem to just grow out of the pot with little to no roots. I have divided and re potted it in cactus soil and added perlite it grows like crazy but never really gets roots only pups.............. lots of pups I will try to attach some pics I'm just wondering if anyone knows why the roots wont grow any more than an inch or so? thanks so much! Any advise would be great! I would love to be able to move it without pieces falling out of the pot!

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Comments (17)

kaykay-08
Original Author
10 years ago
the roots that wont grow!
kaykay-08
Original Author
10 years ago
for every one I pull out, 3 grow in it's place!
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kaykay-08
Original Author
10 years ago
Soil shot
kaykay-08
Original Author
10 years ago
more shots of "roots" I should also mention I repotted this plant the weekend after Easter so I think it has had plenty of time.
qsis
10 years ago
I have this plant, too, kaykay, and it grows like crazy. I have potted up two, three sections per pot, and pups start growing in a couple of months.

I have all my cacti and succulents in west windows.

Don't know what kind of aloe it is, or how to answer your questions, but I hope others will jump in to enlighten both of us!

Lee
kaykay-08
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the reply Lee! Have you found a lack of roots when you re pot as well? I have so much of this stuff I'm considering posting it in the freebies on craigslist!!!!
qsis
10 years ago
As I recall, I tossed anything that didn't have roots at least the size of the ones in your last photo, kaykay.

I just stuck 'em in some commercial cactus/succulent soil and they're happy as clams.

When they get bigger and uglier than I want them to be, I take what I want, repot them, chuck the rest.

Lee
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
10 years ago
This is aloe chinensis. I think that your soil imight be too rich and you might be watering it too much so the roots keep rotting. Try adding an equal amount of perlite to your soil. It also looks like it needs more sunlight
cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
10 years ago
As Mara has pointed out and Lee illuminated as well, your soil is too rich - a thinner, leaner soil is more better.

For the basic information, the Aloe FAQ (I'm not making this up, but I did type it once) is a semi-wondrous source of information for your plant kingdom - get down and conquer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ayup, there is is one
qsis
10 years ago
Oh, great! Thank you, Mara, for the ID! I've had this thing for years, just taking pieces off and repotting what I wanted.

And thank you, cactusmcharris for the info and the link!

As I'm learning more and more about cacti and succulents from you folks, it's clear that my challenge is to get them to bloom. None of them ever have, and I didn't know they COULD!

So cool!

Lee
kaykay-08
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you guys so much for your replies! Thanks Mara for the ID and tips! I'll head out to the store for more perlite today! I'll try a bit more light as well.
@cactusmcharris thanks for the link! I have had luck growing plain old medicinal aloe in the past, but a refresher on the basics never hurts :)
I do love to conquer!!!!
Keep doing what you guys do best!!!! Have a great weekend.
~Sonya

This post was edited by kaykay-08 on Sat, Jul 6, 13 at 10:02
paul_
10 years ago
""more better", Jeff?
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
10 years ago
Yes , your plant has been alive for years. It iis almost impossible to kill this particular aloe. Your plant has been surviving and pupping in response to stress. That is what this plant does. It pups when it is stressed and it pups a little less when it id happy. You will have a much prettier plant if you treat it right. Right now it is scruffy as can be, etoliated into an ugly medusahood on a bad hairday with rotten roots. It should be forming more compact rosettes that will get some size, more than you have. Then they will get longer but with a defined rosette at the end of a long dry neck if it is happy. One can then cut it back to encourage a denser haircut. I have had this plant frozen to the ground and then come back from a 15 degree freeze 2 years latter. It was under a freeze cloth but it was not enough that time.

I really do not know the travails of growing succulents in your Zone. Mine are outside basically 12 months a year taking a few 3 day vacations under a freeze cloth. growing aloes in Zone 5 has problems of light that I can only guess at. They do like light. you might want to get it into the light slowly.

This post was edited by wantonamara on Sat, Jul 6, 13 at 13:44
kaykay-08
Original Author
10 years ago
wantonamara, "ugly medusahood on a bad hairday" great comparison!!!! Now I really want to find a planter that looks like Medusa! HEH!
Great advise. I have added more perlite to new soil and removed more pups XXXfingers crossed XXX
In Michigan, there are very few cacti or succulents that survive our nasty climate (prickly pear and hens and chicks are all I am aware of.) I'm lucky if I get 3 months of fresh air/sun for my collection! Thank you all again, rehab starts today!
~Sonya

This post was edited by kaykay-08 on Sat, Jul 6, 13 at 14:10
wantonamara Z8 CenTex
10 years ago
When you remove your pups,wait several days before you water. and remve them when the soil is dry. The cut will otherwise introduce rot into your pot. After repotting don't water for awhile for the same reasons. My aloes are even more prone to rot than this species, so when I repot, I let them hang around in the open air in the shade and let their roots callus over from any bruising or trimming and then when I repot , I don't water for several days. Don't worry, they can take it.

I used to remove pups from my A. macrocentra to spread them out in my garden and wonder why they had so much stress, because I was watering them plenty. I was doing the opposite of what I should have been doing. that was pre forum. Live , listen and learn is so much much less pain ridden than live and learn.
kaykay-08
Original Author
10 years ago
Great advise! thanks!
teengardener1888
10 years ago
Does anyone want to see.........

Here is a link that might be useful: This post of mines

Zombie Aloe!!! Reluctant to root, refuses to die!

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kaykay-08
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Zombie Aloe!!! Reluctant to root, refuses to die!

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