How Long Does Aloe Vera Take To Grow? (Plus Tips For Better Growth)

Okay, so I know I’ve talked about Aloe Vera quite a bit by this point, but it’s such a useful, and cool-looking, plant to grow at home.

If you’ve bought a very young Aloe Vera, you’re probably keen to understand how long it will take to grow into a mature plant (so you can harvest the leaves).

How Long does Aloe Vera Takes To Grow

In this article, you will learn how to grow the Aloe Vera at home and what is required for it to grow up into a strong plant – and how long this will take.

The Benefits Of Grown Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a popular succulent plant and it is also evergreen – making it a good choice for many plant parents.

You can find it in many different regions of the world, but the origin of the Aloe Vera plant is the Arabian Peninsula.

Now you can find it worldwide due to its variety of benefits for human health and skin.

It is an undeniable fact that the Aloe Vera has countless benefits for humans ranging from antioxidants or antibacterial properties to improving your sugar levels.

It is a popular home remedy for burns or scalds and, as such, can be a very beneficial plant to grow.

How Long does Aloe Vera Take To Grow?

Being a succulent plant, Aloe Vera takes more time to grow than other plants, but outdoor Aloe Vera plants grow faster than indoor varieties.

The Average growth time of the Aloe Vera plant is about 3-4 years from an offset to a fully mature plant with mature leaves of 8-10 inches (20-25cm) in length.

As a succulent, it has the characteristics that help it grow even with fewer resources that are crucial for the growth of plants.

Aloe Vera plants have adapted to survive harsh arid climates and have developed some awesome features to help such as water-storing tissues, horizontal root systems, and other adaptations.

The growth rate of an Aloe Vera plant is directly affected by environmental conditions. The stage of growth and health of the plant also plays a role.

A new leaf will appear on your plant once a month or less, and you can observe some visible signs of growth for about one month.

However, you can observe significant growth in about 4 months.

It takes an indoor Aloe Vera several years to develop leaves at its base. Suppose the plant is given the proper care and growing conditions, it can continue to grow very slowly until it reaches a height and width of about 18 inches (46 cm).

Factors That Affect Growth Speed Of Aloe Vera

How Long does Aloe Vera Takes To Grow

Although Aloe Vera is a succulent plant and grows gradually, some factors can facilitate a faster growth rate of the Aloe Vera plant.

Growing Conditions

Growing conditions are one of the major factors that contribute to the better growth of the Aloe Vera plant – or any plant for that matter!

If you want fast and healthy growth of your plant, make sure you provide the optimal growing conditions and fulfill all the plant’s needs.

The following is the outline of the optimal growing conditions required for an Aloe Vera plant:

• A pot made of clay with drainage holes and plenty of room for roots to spread.
• A well-draining mixture of course sand and perlite (a mineral added to improve drainage, aeration, and water retention).
• Expose the Aloe Vera to regular sunlight.
• For optimal growth, the temperature should be 55-80 F (13-27 C).
• Irrigate the soil thoroughly and then allow water to drain. Before the next irrigation, allow the soil to dry.

Indoor vs Outdoor Aloe Vera plant

Another factor that influences the growth rate of the Aloe Vera plant is whether you grow it indoors or outdoor – as I briefly mentioned earlier.

It is observed that Aloe Vera plants grown indoors have a slower growth rate than outdoor plants.

So if you want a speedy and early growth of the Aloe Vera plant, grow it as an outdoor plant and care for it properly.

Aloe Vera Growth Stages

Every year, Aloe Vera undergoes a growth stage during the summer and spring, followed by a dormant or resting period during the winter when it grows little or none at all.

Plant Health

Plant health is obviously a key factor that influences the growth rate of the Aloe Vera plant.

If you are doing proper care and management of the plant, it will grow faster.

If the plant is struggling with pests, disease, or improper growing conditions, it will decrease its growth rate.

Top Tips To Boost The Growth Of Your Aloe Vera

How Long does Aloe Vera Takes To Grow

Fertilize Aloe Vera To Boost Growth

Although Aloe Vera can survive with fewer resources and does not need fertilizer, you can add fertilizer to enhance the growth of your plant.

Make sure the fertilizer you select is low-nitrogen and specially formulated for succulents.

Fertilize the plant twice a month from April to September, diluting the fertilizer by half.

Winter is a time for rest for plants, so do not fertilize.

You should apply the fertilizer after irrigating and draining the excess water from the soil to prevent chemical burns.

Trim Your Aloe Vera

You may eventually see pups grow from the sides of your Aloe Vera plant, also known as baby plants.

It is best to remove these pups – they can be potted to start whole new plants.

A succulent arrangement might look appealing if your Aloe Vera plants are packed tightly together. However, crowding causes plants to compete for water and nutrients, and insect infestations can negatively impact their growth rate.

Before you take the scissors to your Aloe though, learn how to trim it properly.

Remember that when your Aloe Vera plant is large enough, you can harvest the leaves to use at home.

Final Thoughts

If you follow the instructions in this article and provide your Aloe Vera plant with the best possible growing conditions, you will have a healthy adult plant in no time. After about 3-4 years, it should be fully grown.

If you do want your Aloe Vera to grow faster, consider growing it outdoors – but bear in mind that this comes with other complications such as more exposure to pests and the elements.

Ready to learn more about growing Aloe? Take a look at my article on Aloe plants growing horizontally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofk-yl18_AY
Venus