i would think that there is not enough water maintained in the leaf at a most inopportune time ... is that because of a water problem.. or a sun problem... that is probably an issue of your microclimate ... and.. never make presumptions on a recent transplant.. because they all have the potential for leaf scorch.. which might be a guide into the answer... a truncated root structure leads to tissue burn.. until the plant becomes full established... and that would hold for winter burn on un-established conifers ... i often say.. when defining PROPER WATERING ... to insert your finger and water when the soil is dry or HOT ... presuming proper mulch ... if soil is hot.. but still damp.. it will be dry tomorrow ... properly dampened soil.. with a proper mulch ... is rarely hot .... i think we are getting to the answer ... regardless.. you most likely do NOT have HOT soil, as defined by soil theorists ... in Milwaukee ... i really wish we could define that part ... i have ONE MAPLE on my 5 acres... a variegated norway ... pix below [and guess what .. no pix in late summer.. go figure on that ... lol] 10 years now... the white edges burn off every year in late july or august ... i do NOT care.. i show it off all spring... and then ignore it after the burn ... yellow sand... mulch.. no supplemental water ... and it always scorches ... dont care ... is that because it knows i hate maples... the sand.. the heat in full blistering sun in the sand.. lack of supplemental water... who the heck knows .... and therein lies the answer to how your tree will act in your yard ... ken Acer platanoides 'Drummondii'

Izzrd,m I'll keep my eye out for hercules. As you said though, I suppose for now if I want the quick trees I should just go with Goliath and any head that falls I can use for another tree. I'm going to be doing the landscaping at a lot of friends and family houses so the more cuttings and fast growing plants the better. I like my little Aeonium" factories". They just keep popping out heads and the more I just keep propagating into new plants ;-) Amazing garden Hoobv. Wow I'd love one like that some day. I had read that the plicatilis has lots of issues with growth, like they get a lot of black lower leaves and prone to rot. Has this been the case with yours? What area of SoCal are you in? Cactuscharris- for some reason I'm not able to purchase the plicatilis on that site, not sure if it's a gliche or if they're just out of that particular plant!!! Cool I was searching google and there are some variagated forms of the aloe trees!! Very cool.. ...so many succulents, so little time (and money!)

The Bayer 3-in-1 stuff or the Bayer tree and shrub defense stuff, the common stuff from a big box store. The 3-in-1 stuff has the advantage of the fungicide also preventing the Rust infection some Aloes get in wet weather. Not that we've had much wet weather for five years, but last winter my Aloe speciosa had quite an infection. After treatment the new foliage has been flawless. However it should be noted after application to cut off or cover the flowers for two or three years so systemic-tainted nectar/pollen doesn't kill bees. Here there are lots of bees--carpenter, bumble, honey and California native solitary, so I've been cutting off the flowers on the plicatilis since treating it. Plicatilis the attraction isn't really the flowers anyway. I'm unsure how long the systemic stays in the plant, but because of the large bee population have a preference not to chance it. My strategy has become to either buy seed-grown small aloes, less likely to be infected, or buy them very small and immediately treat with systemic; by the time small seedlings are large enough to bloom the systemic should not be in the flower pollen/nectar.

Hi David, I am in Tucson too! I have aloes outside as well, but they are in a bark/dirt mixture and never get too dry. i don't think yours is dying. It just needs a really good drink. Can you give it a good hosing? remember: monsoon season is upon us, so all things will get the watering they need soon! eta: you said it was doing well until recently-- the temps have shot up over the last two weeks, and all of my indoor plants have started to dry out very quickly. Perhaps you need to step up the watering because of the rise in temps? Aloes need a good thorough drink, and they will be fine for some time after that. The plant will store the water in this heat because it knows water isn't coming for a while again....mine get their big drinks during monsoon and occasional rains. I don't even use the drip irrigation on them.