Aloe

Cynthia Giddy, a renowned South African horticulturist, created this charming hybrid in 1974. The result is a smaller, clumping aloe that will fill small spaces nicely. Because of its diminutive size, she gave it the name “Little Red Cap,” which is Africaans for “Little Red Riding Hood.”  Enchanting yellow-orange flowers will bloom nearly year round on top of densely-clustered rosettes of succulent leaves, which arch outward then down at tips. The leaves will vary in color from a deep green to maroon and are neatly spotted. Along the edges are small teeth. Create your own fairy tale with ‘Rooikappie’ planted amidst contrasting perennials or filling colorful ceramic planters around a pool or patio. Like other aloes, its extremely drought tolerant and the flowers will attract pollinators like birds and butterflies to your garden.

This is an arborescent Aloe that will form stout trunks that elevate the bold, spiny foliage. They produce wide, tapering leaves armed with small, sharp teeth on the margins and leaf surfaces for protection. Fall to winter blooming, they form dramatic, multi-branched, candelabra type stalks that are densely covered with dark, burnt orange tubular flowers. They are long blooming with flowers opening from the bottom of the stalk first. Cape Aloes are resistant to cold compared to other Aloes. As with other Aloes, they require well-drained soils and can be planted in full to part sun. A period of acclimation is needed for locations with the hottest western sun.

This fast-growing aloe produces short, stem-less rosettes and many offshoots that grow in low clumps. It has thick, succulent, bright green foliage with distinctive white markings. Sharp, brown teeth are visible along its leaf margins. The sap from the leaves can be used to produce sudsy foam when mixed with water and the plant has been used as a soap product, hence one of the common names “soap aloe.” In late spring or summer, it produces a tall flower stalk with orange and red tubular blossoms that attract hummingbirds. Use in cactus or rock gardens, in containers, or as an understory plant beneath a tree or large shrub, where it appreciates the partial shade over the full sun. Give occasional irrigation during the hot, dry summer.

The Aloe Striata is a captivating succulent that adds a burst of vibrant color to any landscape. It grows to a medium-sized rosette composed of leaves that vary in color, depending on the amount of sun it receives. In full hot sun, the leaves will be pinkish, in more shaded spots they will be bluish-green. ‘Striata’ is from the Latin ‘striatum’ meaning “grooved” or “striped,” in reference to the dark narrow lines on the leaves.  In late winter into early spring, 2-foot-tall branched stems put on a show of coral-red flower clusters. In our lower desert, the striata will perform best in partial sun/light shade in well-drained soil.  Heat and drought-tolerant. Plant as a solitary specimen or en masse in the xeriscape garden. Also good for containers. Watch it take on a mesmerizing translucent quality as it captures the sunlight.

These are robust Aloes with wide, thick fleshy leaves at the base tapering up to a narrow point with a vertical habit. Leaves do have some small, serrated teeth along their edges, but they are not dangerous or alarming. In spring & summer they have a gray-green color, often turning light bronze during winter. In spring, flower stalks rise well above the foliage. These stalks are typically dual or triple-branched covered in numerous yellow hanging tubular blooms that are highly attractive to pollinators like hummingbirds and bees. These are the true medicinal aloe from which healing salves and other cosmetic products are made. They are low maintenance and tolerate drought although some supplemental water is beneficial during blooming and summer heat. Well-draining soils are a must for these plants, as with all other Aloes. Hybrids exist that have narrower, green leaves, tend to sucker faster and produce bloom stalks that are unbranched, with light orange tubular flowers.

This selection is one of the best all-around landscape Aloes. It is forgiving of tight spaces and unimproved soils, if it has good drainage and some supplemental water during hot summer months. They have short, narrow blue-green spiny leaves with the entire plant maintaining and vertical growth habit for a groundcover type Aloe. They flower for a prolonged period, typically starting in late winter blooming well into spring. Bloom stalks rise about 1 foot above the foliage and hold bright orange flowers that hummingbirds can’t resist. They are well-behaved, spread slowly by suckering as other aloes do, but they never become invasive. They will tolerate deeper shade but bloom less and have more of an average green color.

These fantastic, fast growing tree aloes are a hybrid cross between two other tree aloes, A. barbarae (Syn. A. bainesii) and A. dichotoma. The resulting offspring takes on the best characteristics of both parent aloes, tolerating wide range of conditions and exposure to sun and heat. As they mature, they develop thick trunks with attractive peeling bark to reveal smooth to fissured, silvery-looking skin. Their leaves are a long, straight dark green triangular shape, tapering to a point. Due to their commanding size and bodacious form these aloes are best used as single dramatic specimens or planted in mass for large-scale projects that demand attention. Plant in well-drained soil. Hardy to 20°-25°F degrees.

‘Safari’ aloes are compact reliably reblooming aloes. They tolerate sun or shade in-ground with well-drained soils or as well-behaved container plants. They are small plants with a slow clumping or spreading habit. Their green pointed leaves armed with closely spaced marginal teeth, form attractive spiky silhouettes. We offer several named cultivars with different flower colors. ‘Safari Sunrise’ sport bicolored blooms of deep orange with cream. ‘Safari Rose’ produces blooms described as unique salmon-pink, and ‘Safari Orange’ have stalks of bright tangerine orange blooms that seem to glow in our desert sunshine.

‘Safari’ aloes are compact reliably reblooming aloes. They tolerate sun or shade in-ground with well-drained soils or as well-behaved container plants. They are small plants with a slow clumping or spreading habit. Their green pointed leaves armed with closely spaced marginal teeth, form attractive spiky silhouettes. We offer several named cultivars with different flower colors. ‘Safari Sunrise’ sport bicolored blooms of deep orange with cream. ‘Safari Rose’ produces blooms described as unique salmon-pink, and ‘Safari Orange’ have stalks of bright tangerine orange blooms that seem to glow in our desert sunshine.