Aloe Hedgehog

Aloe 'Hedgehog' (Aloe humilis hybrid) is a small clumping aloe with tight blue green rosettes covered in soft white spines. It holds at around 30cm tall and 40cm across, and sends up orange to red flower spikes through the cooler months that honeyeaters find quickly. If you want structure in a hot, dry, poor soil spot and no watering, this is the plant.

Why you'll love it

• Sculptural at a small scale. Tight spiny rosettes give the architectural look of a large agave in a footprint of 40cm.
• It flowers when little else does. Orange to red spikes rise well above the rosettes through the cooler months, and honeyeaters use them.
• It thrives on neglect. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and content in poor soil, so it suits gravel gardens, kerbside strips and forgotten pots.
• It clumps up over time. Offsets form around the parent rosette, so one plant becomes a colony you can divide.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. A 200mm to 300mm pot of gritty mix suits a single clump, and this is one of the few plants that will sit on a hot west facing balcony and look better for it.

Rockeries and gravel gardens. Tuck it into pockets between rocks where the soil is thin and drainage is sharp. Space clumps about 40cm apart if you want them to knit into a band.

Borders, edging and coastal gardens. At 30cm high it edges a path without spilling over it, and salt tolerance means it holds up a street back from the beach.

Growing Aloe 'Hedgehog' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens, and it takes light frost only, so a hard frost will mark the leaves and rot can follow. In cold or wet winter districts, grow it in a pot under eaves.

Soil. Sharp drainage is the whole story, and sandy, gravelly, poor soil is ideal. On clay, or in a high rainfall garden, plant on a raised mound or in cactus and succulent mix, because winter wet kills more aloes than cold.

Water and feed. Water fortnightly through the first summer to settle the roots, then leave it to rainfall. In a pot, soak it and let the mix dry right through before the next water. A weak liquid feed in spring is plenty.

Pruning. Cut spent flower spikes at the base and pull away shrivelled lower leaves. Lift and separate offsets every few years if the clump gets crowded, and let the cut surfaces dry for a day before replanting.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tube stock: a young rosette, usually 5 to 10cm across. This is a slow growing aloe, so expect two to three years before one plant looks like an established clump. Plant several together if you want a filled bed sooner.

Succulents are among the best travellers we send, because the thick leaves carry their own moisture. Hold off watering for a few days after planting, then water once and leave it be. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete aloe care guide
• Browse the wider succulent range
• Plants for rockeries and gravel beds
• Plants for hot, dry inland gardens

Common questions

Is this the same as medicinal aloe vera?

No. Aloe vera is a larger, smooth leaved species grown for the gel in its leaves. 'Hedgehog' is a compact ornamental hybrid grown for its rosettes and flowers.

Is it safe around pets?

No. Aloes contain saponins and anthraquinones that are toxic to cats and dogs, causing vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy if eaten. Keep it out of reach of a pet that chews plants.

How often should I water it in a pot?

Soak it, then wait until the mix is dry all the way through: roughly every two to three weeks in summer, every four to six in winter. Soft, translucent or yellowing leaves mean too much water, not too little.