Aloe black gem grow and care – succulent plant of the genus Aloe also known as Alworthia Black Gem, Aloe black gem perennial evergreen plant, used as ornamental plant mostly uses for beauty of the leaves, its drought tolerant plant, can grow in desert, mediterranean, subtropical, tropic climate or indoor as houseplant and growing in hardiness zone 10b+ and with the right overwinter care in hardiness zone 10a.
Leaves color green, red or both leaf fleshy some cultivars little spiny in the edge in cone triangle shape, the leaf thin in size of 5-10 cm,
How to grow Aloe black gem succulent growing condition and care:
Better frost free but can survive light frost, well-drained soil, sandy soil
What is the best way to start growing? Plant / Seeds – explanation bellow / Vegetative Reproduction – daughter plant better to transplant them when there is at least 2-3 leaves, need to care daughter plant the same as adult, cutting possible stems or leaves, need to cut and wait that the cut will heal after this put it in the soil, better sandy soil with good drainage, watering need to be lightly and let it almost dry between watering, also leaves are more sensitive to pests and can be rotten easy so consider to use sterile soil (put in microwave)
Is it necessary to graft or use vegetative reproduction? No, but easy to start from cutting or daughter plant
Difficulties or problems when growing: Spines in the edge of the leaves
Planting season: Hardiness zone 11+ all year, hardiness zone 10b in spring to autumn, hardiness zone 10a in spring
Pests and diseases: Aphids, slugs, snails
Pruning season: All year
How to prune: Dead leaves and old stems
Size of the plant: Leaves 10-25 (4-10 inches) cm the spike 20-40 cm (8-16 inches)
Growth speed in optimal condition: Slow growing
Water requirement: Small amount of water, let it dry between watering, do not over water
Light conditions in optimal condition for growing: Full Sun / Half Shade / Full shade (more sensitive to pests in the shade and will bloom less)
Is it possible to grow indoor as houseplant? Yes, need to grow it with light and might won’t bloom
Growing is also possible in a planter, flowerpot or containers: Yes, choose container 50% bigger than the root ball, need sandy soil, lava grit and other inert soil, little organic matter will be enough and fertilize it one a year
Blooming information
Bloom season: Summer
General information about the flower: Orange flowers in cone shape, the flowers grow in inflorescence on stalk
How to grow Aloe black gem succulent from seeds
Sowing requirement: Light soil with good drainage
Saving seeds until sowing: Dark and dry place in room temperature
Sowing season: Spring better in spring higher chance that will germinate possible in the summer to autumn,
Planting spacing: 20*30cm, 8-12 inches
Depth of Sowing: 0.5cm, 0.25 inches
Conditions for seeds germinate: Moist soil, half shade better with morning sun to full sun, when sowing in summer will be better in half shade
Watering requires for Seeds: Small amount of water and let it almost dry between watering
Germination time: 2-4 weeks
Condition of seedling: Light (full sun), water small amount but let it full dry and don’t over water, protect from slugs and snails
Scientific name:
Aloe black gem
Alternative names: Alworthia black gem, Black gem plant, Haworthia black gem
