by Steve
(Wisconsin)
I have had my aloe plant for a couple years now and it wont grow pups. I am looking to get another one going but nothing else seems to pop up. Right now the plants is about 2 feet tall with 15 leaves or so. I keeps growing more leaves with no problem, but no pups.. why not?
Hi Steve, the function of producing pups seems to be related partly to the maturity of the plant, and also the fact that the roots have filled the pot. This pressure seems to trigger the formation of pups, and I’m thinking if your plant is in a small enough pot, after two years it could start any time.
Having said that, some Aloe will produce pups more than other varieties and species. If yours is a species that tends to be solitary more than a cluster, you might be waiting longer.
There is something you can do to prod it into the pup making mode: Take the top most several leaves and stem, and twist it off, just like unscrewing a light bulb. The can be potted up, as it has root nodes on it.
See more about how to do this here: Aloe plants.
In a week or two, or maybe longer, you might see some pups starting to form at the base of the stem of the original plant. Hurray! Success.
Best of luck,
Jacki
See this page for a look at the diversity of Aloe succulent plants.
