Aloe x ‘Cha Cha’ on 8-27-20, #742-2.
Aloe x ‘Cha Cha’
I received a message from Nico Britsch of Succulent Market and he said he would send me some plants if I mentioned his website… He further said he is the third generation of cactus and succulent farmers from California. I wrote a post about the plants he sent which you can view by clicking HERE.
Aloe x ‘Cha Cha’ at 3″ tall x 6 3/4″ wide on 10-6-20, #746-2
The plants arrived on August 27 but I was fairly busy so I didn’t take many photos and measurements until October 6 (2020). The plants arrived in amazing condition and were well packed. The small clump of Aloe x ‘Cha Cha’ measured 3″ tall x 6 3/4″ wide and were in a 4″ pot.
There isn’t much online about this miniature hybrid except for websites selling them. I did read that it is a John Bleck hybrid and possibly Aloe descoingsii is one of the parents. Mr. Bleck is one of the foremost Aloe hybridizers in the country (as well as many other hybrids) and he used A. descoingsii as a parent in a number of his creations.
Aloe x ‘Cha Cha’ on 10-6-20, #746-3.
I am not even sure what the mature measurements of the Aloe x ‘Cha Cha’ will be, but being a miniature I am guessing 4-6″. Of course, it is a clumper and there are already a MULTIPLE of offsets in the pot.
This plant did send up a flower stem a week or so after I brought the plants inside for the winter on October 15…
<<<<2021>>>>
Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ at 3 3/4″ tall x 7″ wide on 8-17-21, #826-7.
The Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ has done very well over the summer and has grown to 3 3/4″ tall x 7″ wide. It has grown 3/4″ taller and 1/4″ wider since it arrived.
<<<<2022>>>>
Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ on 10-16-22, #919-1.
Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ did well over the summer on the front porch. I had to bring the plants inside for the winter because a “you know what” was in the forecast.
USEFUL INFORMATION:
Family: Asphodelaceae
Origin: Hybrid
Zones: USDA Zones 9b-11 (25 to 40° F/-3.8 to 4.5° C)
Size: Don’t know yet, possibly 4-6”.
Light: Light to part shade. I would NOT recommend this plant being un full sun…
Soil: Very well-draining. I use 50% Miracle Grow Potting Soil with 50% pumice.
Water: Regular watering during the growing season and about once a month during the winter or as needed. If the leaves start to shrivel, then it needs water. Normally I would say if the leaves don’t shrivel don’t water, but this one may be a little different…
Aloe and their cousins are some of my favorite plants. They are very easy to keep as companions as long as you follow a few basic rules. Even so, there have been a few I have had ups and downs with but eventually, we get it figured out, or at least we agree to disagree. Normally, it has something to do with water. You can’t lump all succulents in the same category when it comes to care because many are very unique in their preferences…
<<<<2023>>>>
Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ at 4 1/4″ tall x 8 1/4″ wide on 10-24-23, #968-3.
Even though there was no “F” in the forecast until October 30, it was going to be a rainy week so I moved the potted plants inside on the 23rd and 24th. Time for photos and measurements…
The Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ did very well during the summer on the front porch despite the heat and drought. The clump measured 4 1/4″ tall x 8 1/4” wide when I moved it inside for the winter. That is AWESOME!
Aloe and their cousins are considered a summer dormant/winter growing species but for me, they seem to grow pretty much year-round. I read where Aloe hybrids don’t go dormant and whether they are summer or winter dormant depends on where the species are native. Personally, I think most Aloe will grow year-round if given the opportunity but I am no expert. For me, I think they do most of their growing while outside from May through mid-October, but most show no sign of being dormant while inside for the winter. Their growth does slow down while inside over the winter and I pretty much withhold their watering to a little once a month if necessary.
You have to sort of mimic the soil where species grow in their native habitat. For that, you almost have to go see for yourself… Typically, they grow in fairly rocky soil.
You can read my Cactus Talk & Update and Cactus & Succulent Tips to get my opinion about growing cactus and succulents.
When you bring your new plants home from the store, you need to check their roots and the soil to see if they are wet. If so, you may want to re-pot it right away. It is advisable to re-pot them in a better potting soil more suitable for cactus and succulents.
I hope you enjoyed this page and maybe found it useful. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, I would like to hear from you. Please click on “like” if you visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 You can check out the links below for further reading. The links take you directly to the genus and species of this plant. If you notice I made an error, please let me know. Of course, you can always send me an email at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com.
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