Aloe aristata

The Aloe aristata is one of the hardiest species of aloes. Small in size, this perennial forms a round rosette, growing at ground level, composed of fleshy, elongated leaves with non-stinging and toothed edges. They are highly decorative with their dark green colour speckled with white-silver and bloom in late spring or early summer with beautiful, very dark spikes where pleasant coral pink, nectar-rich flowers open. This aloe thrives in full sun or partial shade, in well-drained soil, for example in a rock garden or a nice pot on the terrace.

The Aloe aristata is a botanical species of the Aloeaceae family, native to central South Africa, specifically Lesotho and neighboring regions. It is a small, stemless succulent perennial, forming a rosette habit, reaching 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12in) in height for the foliage, 50 cm (20in) when flowering, with a diameter of about 30 cm (12in). It produces many offsets, forming colonies that spread over time or form tight clumps. The large, round, very dense rosettes are composed of white-speckled, thick, sword-shaped leaves with toothed edges. In June, a tall, dark-coloured flower spike emerges from the centre of mature rosettes, bearing tubular, red-pink flowers that are highly visited by pollinating insects. The flower spike shifts away from the centre as new leaves appear. The mother rosettes are less tolerant of frost than the young offsets, which can withstand many successive frosts.

Resistant to salt spray and drought, but also well-suited to a properly cultivated and well-drained garden soil, the Aloe aristata can be grown in pots to decorate the terrace or balcony, as well as in the ground, in a border, rock garden, or on a dry slope. In Mediterranean climates or on protected Atlantic coasts, it can be planted in the ground as it is hardy to around -8°C (17.6°F). It will form attractive clumps with exotic appearances in sloping or rocky well-drained soil, or even in dry stone walls. Elsewhere, it can be placed in a wider than tall pot (as it multiplies rapidly) to fully enjoy its unique charm. For example, it can be combined with small agaves in a collection of potted plants. Ground cover plants with a similar undemanding nature, such as Evening Primroses, Osteospermums, Felicia, or Witch's Claws, can be planted around them to fill the space with their flowering and evergreen foliage and mask the void left by a dead plant.

About Agaves and Aloes:

Aloes and agaves may look similar but belong to two different botanical families, Aloeaceae and Agavaceae, respectively. The main distinction lies in the fact that aloes' rosettes bloom for many years, while the flowering of a mature agave rosette marks the end of its life. In some species of aloes, interfoliar buds give rise to new plants that cover the dried remains of the mother plant. In agaves, the central flower spike develops from the terminal bud. In aloes, the flower buds emerge between the leaves. Agaves are native to North America, while aloes are found only in the southern half of Africa and the nearby islands of the Indian Ocean.