Aloe plicatilis

The fan aloe (Kumara plicatilis, long known as Aloe plicatilis) is the most sculptural aloe for an Australian garden. Each branch ends in a flat fan of blue grey strap leaves, and over many years it builds a small branching trunk to about 1.5m tall and 1.2m across. It is slow, which is why it works as a feature: the shape you buy is close to the shape you keep.

Why you'll love it

• A living sculpture. A mature plant reads as a small tree rather than a rosette on the ground.
• It never outgrows the spot. Years to gain height, so a courtyard, rockery or large pot stays in proportion.
• Orange red flowers for the birds. Tubular spikes rise above the fans and bring honeyeaters in through the cooler months.
• Thrives on neglect. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil. Overwatering is the main way people lose one.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Use a single specimen against a rendered wall, gravel or dark mulch. The silhouette does the work, so give it clear space.

Rockeries and slopes. Sharp drainage and some elevation suit it, and the branching form looks natural among stone.

Pots and small gardens. A 400mm or larger pot with a cactus and succulent mix holds one for many years, repotting every three or four years. That makes it an option where a courtyard cannot take a full sized tree.

Growing fan aloe in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and open air movement. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so hard frosting districts need a movable pot or a warm north facing wall.

Soil. Free draining above everything else. Sandy or gravelly ground is ideal, and heavy clay needs a raised mound with coarse sand and gravel worked through.

Water and feed. Water fortnightly through the first summer, then only in long dry spells; established plants need almost nothing. Feed lightly once in early spring with a low nitrogen fertiliser, since rich feeding produces soft growth that flops.

Pruning. None required. Pull off spent lower leaves as they dry, and cut the flower spike out at the base once it finishes.

What to expect when it arrives

Two sizes are grown: tube stock, and 200mm pots in packs of six. Tube stock is a young single fan and, given the growth rate, a long term project rather than an instant feature. The 200mm plants are the sensible choice if you want presence within a season or two, and tube stock is currently on backorder, so check availability before planning a large planting.

Succulents travel well, since the leaves carry their own water. Leave it somewhere bright and dry for a few days before planting, water sparingly for the first month, and expect a season of no visible growth before new fans appear.

Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order $300 before delivery, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete aloe care guide
• The full succulent range
• More plants for rockeries and gravel gardens
• Plants that handle exposed coastal sites

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, and that is the appeal. Expect a few centimetres of trunk a year in good conditions, so it takes many years to reach 1.5m.

Why is it called Kumara now?

Botanists moved it out of Aloe into the genus Kumara. It is the same plant most gardeners still know as Aloe plicatilis, and nothing about growing it changes.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. Brief cold does no lasting damage, but repeated hard frosts mark the leaves and can rot the crown. In cold districts keep it potted and move it under cover.