Trying to get A. hercules

[Melt in the Sun]

Mostly a question for California folks I think - I'd like to get a decent size (5g or 15g) Aloe hercules. I can order smaller plants easily, from Etsy/eBay/etc. I also have a brother who lives near San Diego...is this a plant that can regularly be found in the area? Or would I be better off just ordering something smaller? Any thoughts appreciated.

[mcvansoest]

I am sort of surprised you cannot find these easily in Tucson.

There is a whole sale nursery here that sells to the public too that has quite a number of Hercules in the 15 gallon size range - not super cheap - but large good looking plants.

'Plant Stand of AZ', not sure they deliver all the way to Tucson, but depending on your ability to transport a large plant like that, it could be worth the drive, given that shipping something like that would not be cheap either.

I got my original one there that I left a the old house. I got my new one from a guy who advertised on Craig's List who was located in Apache Junction, who had a whole bunch of different sized one and other large tree aloes for really good prices, but that was pre-pandemic and I looked the other day and his ad is not up anymore.

[Melt in the Sun]

Thanks McV. I can't recall ever seeing it for sale down here, but it does seem like they should be. I'll check out the Plant Stand of AZ - I can come through Phoenix in the work truck on my way back from Globe sometime. Thanks for the tip.

[NMAgave]

Have you tried B and B Cactus? Many years ago when I worked there we would have A. Hercules come through the farm quite often.

[Epiphyte]

I have a 5 gallon Aloe Hercules, would be willing to trade for a 5 gallon Stenocereus thurberi or querotaroensis...

[Melt in the Sun]

Have you tried B and B Cactus? Many years ago when I worked there we would have A. Hercules come through the farm quite often.

I haven't been there in several years, but it's on my list of places to stop in soon...they used to have large Yuccas there too, and one of those is also on my shopping list. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Worm]

In SoCal there is a place called OC Succulents. They always have dozens of Hercules at the Irvine location, and a few other tree aloes as well.

[pak.chris]

SummerWinds Nursery in North Phoenix often has large A. hercules plants; reasonable prices. They grow really quickly under the right conditions - more that 1 foot per year at my home in N Scottsdale (climate more similar to Tucson than Phoenix). I bought two little plants on Etsy in 2017. One is now more than 6 feet tall.

[ackman00]

These grow so fast that I would consider buying the smallest (cheapest?) one I could get and in a couple years, if planted in the ground, it will be as large as one costing many times that amount today. Just a thought.

[Melt in the Sun]

Success! @NMAgave they had several of these at B&B Cactus.

[Tues2s]

I'm in Phoenix if you ever need more.