If you are fighting your aloe vera plant for aloe flowers, you are not alone. Most people struggle to get their aloe vera plants to bloom when growing them indoors. But their usual yellow or orange tubular flowers, grown high on long, elegant stems, are a rare sighting in households due to the inadequate sunlight they receive.
Aloe vera plants are built for the desert climate of Africa, where they receive large amounts of direct sunlight for a majority of the day. This large dose of bright light that aloe veras are accustomed to does not translate smoothly to a household setting, where the location of the house and the plant may limit the amount of sunlight that reaches the plant.
Adjusting the Indoor Placement of Your Aloe Vera Plant
Due to the natural environment of the aloe vera, the main trick is to give your houseplant as much light as possible. Indoor placement is key. Typically sitting on kitchen windowsills, the aloe vera plant does not receive the sunlight it is used to or needs when raised indoors. You want to place your plant on a windowsill that receives a lot of direct sunlight, with nothing obstructing the plant’s line of sunlight or keeping it in the shade. At certain points in the day, some areas of your house also receive more light than others. Therefore, it is best to change the location of your plant throughout the day, allowing for it to follow the sun. The more exposure to sunlight, the better. During the summer months, you can also move your aloe vera plant outside, as it is no longer in danger of freezing and an outdoor environment nicely mimics the high-sunlight desert conditions it needs to bloom.
Other Tricks for Getting Your Resistant Aloe to Bloom:
1. Wait for your Aloe Plant to Mature
You may be expecting too much from your newborn aloe vera plant. Aloe veras tend to bloom only once they have reached maturity–a stage in their life that takes approximately 4 years to reach. If you have just begun caring for your aloe plant, it is simply not ready. Have patience, and while you are waiting, take proper care of your aloe vera by giving it the sunlight, water, and soil it needs to reach old age and bloom.
2. Know When To Expect Aloe Vera Flowers
Aloe vera plants do not have flowers year-round. They usually bloom annually in the early springtime, so time your expectations correctly. If you are concerned why your plant has no signs of buds in the winter, that is just because the timing is not yet right.
2. Fertilize or Repot Your Plant
A healthy aloe vera plant is more likely to produce the bright flowers you are looking for. To be healthy, an aloe vera needs soil that can provides it with adequate nutrients. By either giving your aloe vera fertilizer to replenish the old soil’s vitamins and minerals or repotting it to give it new soil and a new supply of nutrients, you can keep your plant healthy and watch it grow.
3. Separate Your Aloe Vera Bulbs
Another way to encourage aloe vera plants to bloom is by propagating them. The aloe vera plant has bulbs that grow off of the main plant; you can and should remove them if you want a flowering aloe vera. By taking away the additional bulbs, you give the main plant more energy to put into producing those tall, beautiful flowers.
If you succeed in getting your aloe plant to bloom indoors, congratulations! Enjoy the rare beauty.
B LangrumSmith says
Enjoy the articles thanks very heplful.
karen says
i live in a house with a lot of light big windows, near Spain. i feed cactus fertilizer. my aloe is on its 2nd bloom this year & a lots of babies again. looked up your site to ask why, & you answered, thanks.
Carole says
My aloe vera bloomed just a few months ago and I cut the dead stalk off last week. This week I noticed a new flower stalk growing close to one that is cut off. Is it normal for a plant to bloom twice in one spring? The plant is about 6 years old and bloomed only once prior to this year.
Milly says
I live on the east coast of Britain and our summer it normally 98% rain and cloudy days but we just had 3 weeks of sun and my what I thought to be dying aloe has just flowered! I’ve had this plant 3 months and I over watered for a while until I realised the inside leaves had started to go brown and the leaves underneath had dried up and died. I really did think my aloe plant was on a slow path to dying, I can’t tell you how happy I am to see that flower shooting out the middle!
Deb says
I have a aloe plant that is shooting a bloom right now. I have never seen one bloom before, I can’t wait to see what color it is.
MerriLyn says
Me too
Vikki says
I live in St. Louis. I separated and repotted my aloe in September before bringing it in for the winter. It is on the top shelf in front of a window and low and behold has put up a flower stalk. I don’t dare move it even though it is touching the ceiling because obviously it is very happy where it is. Never saw this before even during the 27 years I lived in South Florida and had aloe plants. So excited!
Aaron Scott says
Same here.
Chelsea says
I had no idea aloe vera could bloom when all the sudden there are 3 shoots getting ready to bloom. Exciting treat indeed and will be removing the excess aloe plants in with it after the show in the hopes that it happens again.
MerriLyn says
Mine too, didn’t know they bloomed.
Margie Carle says
I live in the Northeast, my Aloe plant has been sitting in the same window facing East for 15 years. It has finally bloom! I’m soooooooooo Exicited!
Julia Dunbar says
I have an aloe vera that is at least 20 years old. In that time I have transplanted her only once. She has several smaller aloe vera that now crowd the pot. When is the best time of year to repot? She is looking tired! Thanks – I can imagine how exciting it is that yours has bloomed!
Danielle Brown says
Hi Julia,
You usually want to repot your aloe in the summer months. Learn all about the right time to repot your aloe vera and more by reading this article, “Grow, Baby, Grow! When to Repot an Aloe Plant.” The article “Detailed Aloe Repotting Instructions” may also help.
From the sound of it, however, you might also consider propagating your aloe vera, as its “pups,” or offshoots, could be draining the energy from the mother plant; that’s why it might be looking tired! Check out this article to learn how to do just that!
Rachel Misra says
We have an aloe vera plant that we repotted a few months ago, after being in a pot for may be 8-10 years. After being in the healthy soil in the ground it has started spreading and starting to flower. Cannot wait to see the blooms. I think it is going to be red flowers. I think during summer I will remove some of the babies and plant it close by and give more food and water.
clare says
My aloe plant sprouted about 3 weeks ago I had no idea what it was which is why I’m on here trying to find answers. I’m so pleased that It’s flowering I can’t wait to see what it looks like
Shelley says
Same for me and I live in the uk
Cari says
My aloe plant also sprouted recently! I am so excited to see what the flower looks like! What a great plant to “care for” – neglect it and then oops, remember to water it. I have only had the plant for about 4 years – I bought a small one from Wal-Mart. She has grown to about 2 1/2 feet tall (in an 8″ pot), however I have not seen a pup yet, and was a little confused in thinking that the sprout was a pup. Glad I did a little research on the matter. Apparently, she likes where it is located in my kitchen! Is there anything you can do to promote pups?
Sarah says
my aloe is sprouting a very long stem – cant wait for it to flower. this is my original plant & it has produced at least 15 baby plants in the last 5years which live on every windowsill in my house.
Chris W. says
My aloe plant is in the tiniest aggregate-type pot ever and lives on the windowsill in our bathroom. It faces north so never does get direct sunlight. This is the first “blooming event” for the plant and I can’t wait to see the flower. It gets watered about once a month – minimally – and is never allowed to sit in any moisture. When I water it, I use half strength Miracle Grow ( 1tsp. per gallon of water). I wonder what it would produce if in full sun…not sure I want to disturb it at this point.
Tammy Cary says
I had no idea that my giant aloe plant would bloom either. I thought that the stem was going to grow all the way to the ceiling at the rate it was growing. Now the blooms have fallen off. I am wondering what happens to this long stem now, does anyone know??
Miss Cellany says
If they behave like the native aloes that grow all over where I live then the stem eventually disintegrates / rots away.
The blooms are meant to turn into perfectly formed baby plants (with little stub roots that grow when they’re placed on damp soil) on the stem. These fall off and then the stem wilts and rots away.
I advise you to wait until the baby plants have formed and fallen off before trimming off the stem.
Elaine Freeman says
I’ve never removed the flower stalks from my Aloe’s and they all have more smaller plants growing on the stalks. They are amazing plants. Always having babies.
Ally Milne says
Hey guys, 4 years ago (when I was 15) I bought a very small aloe Vera cactus plant, with the help of my step mum, it is now huge and making two shoots, almost ready to bloom, all done indoors.
I was surprised to see how rare to see flowers, especially how so many people struggle just to make one flower.
I am very proud of our plant and I’m glad the hard work paid off.
Miss Cellany says
I live in Gibraltar (just 15 km north of morocco) – could I grow my Aloe Vera outside instead of indoors? We have a sub tropical climate here (temp in winter doesn’t go below 10 C and summer lasts about 6 months with a 3 month dry period). I have a roof terrace that gets full sun pretty much all day – could I put it up there? We have native aloe plants growing wild all over the place (but not aloe vera – its a darker green, much larger species with evil spikes). The native aloes drop tiny, perfectly formed baby plants all over the pavements in summer – I usually toss as many as I can back into the soil when I see them as they get trampled otherwise – sometimes I take them home and plant them and I have several aloe plants by my windows in my house.
If the native aloe does well indoors I’m assuming Aloe Vera will be just fine but I’d really like it to bloom so I might try it on the roof – I’m just scared it will be too hot for it up there and the leaves will burn (they look much more delicate than the native aloe which has extremely thick skin).
max says
I’ve got a stem and lovely pinkish/orangish blooms. But the blooms just seem to dry out and fall from the stem. are they supposed to do something more?
I think this plant last bloomed five or six years ago – it is a treat!
Jefferson Steelflex says
SICK BRO! PLANTS FUCKING ROCK!!!
Garry says
I have a large Aloe Vera plant outside my front door which has produced around thirty stems, each with between 5 to eight flowers. It is a sight to behold. I have cared for it by simply leaving it alone to do its thing. Looking forward to when the orange flowers come out.
Martin Lee Turnbull says
You are welcome to contact me re my aloe plant.
I have a very large plant taken for an old indoor plant we had in Montana 3-4 years ago. I transplanted this plant from water to a small pot 18 months ago. Then to a medium pot, then to a large pot and now I will be moving it to a giant pot. The plant sits in my living room window and gets the morning sun. I live at 8000 feet near Steamboat Springs.
The over all height of the plant is (including the flower stem is 56 inches, and the plant is 36 inches across and growing. Here are my questions. I keep the room they are in about 64 degrees in the winter. The summer averages 87 degrees. This plant is located close to the electric wall heater.
It is winter and the plant is growing very fast. It grew 2 inches in 24 hours. Now I have moved it out of the window to the floor because of its height.
This plant has a number of succulents off the main stem. Do I remove them or let them grow? If I remove them will I damage the trunk of the plant?
Do the flowers buds seed when blooming?
I am 73 and I really enjoy this plant.
Looking for advice.
Martin
dhyana says
my aloe vera plant did not do well outside in direct sunlight — once moved to shade it stabilized, when i brought it in and put it near our wood stove it was much happier and then when i moved it to a window facing north it bloomed! Not overly “flowery” but long thin bell-like blooms with a very light color to them… i use the leaves from the plant to nourish and tone my facial skin — i usually cut one shoot from the plant each week or so… i wonder if the cuttings caused it to bloom???
sajib chowdhury says
I have several aloevera plants… I never think of aloevera flower as I dont know that it boom… my plant is only 2 years old but I saw a bud come on it… m confused if its usual or it can boom… can anyone tell me what’s going on?
Judy Young says
I didn’t know that aloe Vera plants had flowers.. It is Jan. 4, 2015 and there are yellow tubular blooms on it. About 2 dozen opening from the bottom and going up. Very exciting. I will take a picture.
claire says
I’ve had my aloe Vera plant for 14 years it didn’t grow for 10 of them years in the past 4 years it’s took over my kitchen window last year is produced 21 pups which I gave to friends and family and now it’s winter it’s growing a flower
Eilein says
I have an Aloe Vera for about a year but it has produced flowers – didn’t know it could happen ! Total surprise ……….
Julia says
I’m in the NE of England and have had my plant only six months in a very small pot on the window ledge of south facing bathrooms. It is about to flower but the leaves are going very red. Does it need more water? A couple of offshoots also appearing.
amy says
My aloe v is 8 to 9 years old ..it started flowering a few years ago..and lots if babies around it….which l leave alone and it looked so pretty….it has been flowering every year….l potted one baby snd it is growing more fast than the ones still attached to the mother plant…..now l have repotted most of the babies…….and used the gell with oil to make skin aloe vefa skin oil….and l am very pleased with the result……after doing all this to my mature aloe….keep fingers cross and hope it wii continue to flower and for me this year…..
Emily says
Hi there, some advice would be great! I am lucky as I have a south facing window for my plants. My aloe was actually getting too much sun this summer, and the leaves were curling in and looking brown, so I’ve put my aloe partly behind some blinds (they draw across my window rather than down it) and since then it has looked really luscious and green and opened up a more.
My issue: will my aloe still flower if it is in part shade? The blinds a cream so still let some light through and it does get some direct sun. It flowers every year, but this year it seemed to be getting worse in so much direct sunlight. I really love it’s flowers, so would love it to bloom again this year.
I’m in the uk, so it tends to bloom mid-late summer as this is Britain, and our weather is all over the place!
Thanks so much,
Emily 🙂
BekkiB says
I have only had my aloe plant a year and it lives on the kitchen windowsill facing north. I am in the south of the UK, so not the warmest part of the world either.
Today, I noticed a bud growing….
Maybe we will have a flower for Christmas. Very exciting.
Sarah A says
What I’d love to understand, is why Aloes bloom if they regularly generate new aloe plants through ‘pups’? So curious why that is.
Tom says
I have a large Aloe Vera plant on my kitchen windowsill, it only gets watered on a fairly regular basis, never fed.
It’s flowered every year for the past 4 years, this year it has 8 seperate flower stalks.
The window is west facing and gets the afternoon sun.
It’s a lovely thing to see, especially the Aloe liquid dripping from the blooms.
Jenny Kirkland says
Have had aloe plants in Oregon and used them for burns and some sores on our skin in the past. We now live in Yuma ARIZONA . We have all our plants outside they seem to do great. We have just noticed that it is getting at all stem with a stem ON top. Hope this will be a blossoming flower. She is our first! Looking for more ax we have about 8 grow in at this time. Thanks for your info we will keep watching!! Love Jenny
Nadja says
Hello!
My aloe never bloomed 🙁
Are there types that dont’t ever bloom?
I can’t find out what type of alie it is.. i’m looking atthe photos..an it looks like ciliaris..but it’s a bit different..
Agnes Fraser says
I got my aloe vera plant last July and whilst I was on holiday in june it grew a stem and bloomed. This morning I saw clear liquid sitting on the end of the flowers is that normal.
Sal says
I live in England and my Aloe Vera has just flowered. I repotted it in March after separating it into three, I had left it for 4 weeks without water as we were on holiday. The largest is the one that’s flowered. I repotted it with just indoor compost, I didn’t feed it just watered it when I remembered. I moved it to the other side of the conservatory window sill (It had been sittin in a pot on the floor) only because there was more space. Totally surprised when it grew this very long stem and beautiful orange flowers, shame I can’t post a photo.
Jo says
Thank you for the answers. I live in the UK and mine flowered last year for the first time and has again flowered this year.