I have two aloes (an A. vera and an A. saponaria) which I acquired when I lived in Arizona, and now have in Minnesota. Both flowered endlessly in Arizona, but have not yet here. They both produce pups fairly freely, but I've been trying to analyze the flowering issue. First, aloes are winter bloomers in the desert. I can't say from experience what they do in native habitat in Africa, but in Phoenix they flower from roughly December to March, when the temperature range is 30s or 40s to 60s or 70s. You might say, if the're inside during the winter in a colder climate, it's in the 60s or 70s, so why don't they flower? It presumably has to do with light levels, which are still high in the desert in winter but really low in zones 6 and colder at that time of year. It may also be that the trajectory of temperatures is necessary for flowering. Another issue is, as some others have noted, it is tricky to get an aloe used to sun again after being inside during the winter. I have to endlessly move around my winter-growing plants in early summer to get them acclimated without being sunburned. This year we had a late spring up north, and my aloes are still not up to full sun yet. I have the feeling that by the time I get them worked up to sun, there's not enough time left in the summer, or not enough light overall. Maybe some of our southern plains folks can give more information about how they work aloes up to sun again and then flower. My Haworthias and Gasterias bloom no problem, but in three years I haven't had an aloe flower yet. This is why I think the advice from Californians is not wrong, but not particularly relevant to regions where plants have to go in for the winter. I think they if they are winter growers, they get set waaaaay back by being inside for the winter, even if they are under lights (as mine are). This issue just doesn't exist in the desert, as I have learned moving from AZ to MN. By the way, Aloe vera produced pups like crazy. It is quite possible that they make so many you can't give them all away; I eventually told myself that I can't keep every baby, and some have to go in the compost pile.

I know very little about plants but am learning as I go. I am especially new at nomenclature. I had an "aloe vera" bought at some store or other-bright green with spots. I had it a couple of years and it got very big with my care and had many pups that I cut off and gave away several times. When it was about two feet tall (not counting the bloom)it lost its spots and became less bright green and started to bloom every late winter with yellow flowers. It still had many, many pups. Maybe the confusion is just that the plant is differant colors depending on light and/or age. Lots of pictures of the same kind of succulent are all different colors, same plant, depending on light and heat and culture etc. Too bad mine was over balanced in its pot and did a suicide leap off the desk. Now I am back to one little 3 in. pup, bright green with spots, that isn't getting much light under a plant light in the basement. I am inspired now to bring it up into the light...where it will get huge again... and less green and..... I will post a picture on the gallery page. I know how to do that, I think.

Growing an Aloe Vera (or most other Aloe species - there are more than 300 of them!) is not a difficult matter, if a few basic rules are followed: If grown in a pot, allow the root ball plenty of room to grow; aloes are voracious growers, and having space to do so is necessary. When you repot, allow a growing area three to five times the size of the root ball. Use a well-draining soil. The number of soils A. vera will grow in is quite large, but a basic cactus mix available at home improvement centers is quite suitable. You may wish to experiment with other soils, but one thing it needs is to be well draining, so even a home-made concoction of 1/3 sand, 1/3 soil, and 1/3 pumice/gravel is better than straight potting soil. Aloes don't like to be cold and they don't like wet feet. Pot up your aloe in soil up to the root ball. Use top dressing (gravel/pebbles) on top of the soil to give it a finished look, hold down the dirt, and reduce evaporation. Do not water a newly repotted aloe for a few days. This gives it a chance to get used to its new home, as well as allowing time for any roots that have broken to seal themselves. After a few days, a light watering, perhaps with some B-1 in the water, is recommended. Most aloes grow vegetatively from April to October so water regularly with that in mind. The rest of the year, watering twice a month is sufficient. Water when the soil is dry - rainwater is the best - so that may mean twice a month, or once a week, or some combination thereof. Aloes are very forgiving and they can go a long time without water, but they grow best with it. If in doubt about watering, don't water. Don't forget - they shouldn't be cold and wet. Some aloes will withstand a freeze, but many will turn to mush. No one wants a mushy aloe! Fertilize from April through Septrember, twice a month, with a low-nitrogen fertilizer, heavily diluted. You can try Miracle-Gro 15-30-15, diluted to about 1 to 5. Many aloes produce 'pups'. When the pup is fully formed, detach it from the mother plant, let it callus over for a few days in a cool, dry area, and pot it up. If it has roots, pot as you would a regular aloe, allowing for the fact that it is smaller and should be in a suitably sized pot for its size. If it has no roots, let it callus over, place the cut/broken end ON the soil, and support it with top dressing. DO NOT WATER IT-it has no roots, so watering the soil will likely cause rot. Instead, mist it every few days. Roots should start forming within a month. When growth is evident, it can be watered. Aloe vera flowers are yellow, but others flower in hues of pink/red/orange/white/gray. They start as a spike that gradually gets larger and finally opens, lasting a long time. Aloe flowers are beacons for hummingbirds, so be prepared to be buzzed by these lovely creatures if you are amongst your aloes when they are flowering. For more information, seek out fellow succulent plant people, join your local/national society, and take advantage of the advice and experience they are able to offer. Stop by our Cacti and Succulents forum for tips and friendly conversation. Lastly, these are not ironclad rules. What works for others may not work for you. Experiment a little if you think that's what is needed as your growing conditions are likely different. Aloes are very adaptable creatures, within limits, of course.

The soil felt crumbly, but after i put universal soil together with the soil in which was the aloe planted i've put some warm water ( at the room temperature ) on the plate beneath the vase and on the base of the plant. I am from Europe, in the S-E zone of Roumania and the plant i'll put it in a place of my home where i know it gets plenty of light. But i didn't refer to the color of the suculent that it got whiten out ( the orange circle -and i know that's pretty bad too - ) i meant that all the white spots circled with blue weren't there when i first bought the plant, is there a way i could treat them?