Can anyone help identify this type of aloe? I have three cuttings from the original plant that was given to my wife. They tend to grow upwards but cannot support their own weight and will break apart so I’m having trouble keeping them healthy. I feel like they should be growing out not up. If I knew what it was I was hoping I could maintain them better.
Not sure on the ID because that plant is hella stressed. Might just be aloe vera, but could be juvenna. There can variety within a species that may explain some of the irregularities I’m seeing. Do you have a picture of the healthy mother?
The soil needs to dry out between waterings to encourage root growth and prevent the plant from falling over. Chronically over watered aloe will get floppy and weak.
They don’t do fantastically with a hot soil, I cut my Fox Farms Ocean Forest with coco coir and perlite at about 30/50/20 and I have gotten aloe vera to be about 30" wide 3ft tall with more babies than I know what to do with. The only time I fertilized was when I went up a pot size and I just added more of the same soil mix, planted the babies in it too. So if you are using miracle grow or an uncut hot soil, that is bad.
I agree with aloe juvenna as well. Looks like some I used to have.
I second this opinion, albeit with less fancy words ^^’ also feeling sillly that I did not catch it on my own.
Do you think the one by the window is doing better because more sunlight helps it dry faster ?
Probably. The sun exposure only helps you so much until the plant covers the soil and helps trap moisture, then it comes down to the soil mix and the material/color of the pot.
Aloe is stupid tolerant to neglect, I have had big ones I didn’t water for a year and they kept on trucking after a good soaking. On the other hand, I have had ones I gave away die in weeks because people kept watering them instead of letting them dry out between waterings.