Aloe striata – Coral Aloe
Pannicles of bright orange flowers in spring.
Habit:
This is a stemless succulent to 1.0m tall when in flower. The basal rosette of leave can look somewhat shabby, but the stunning flowers more than make up for that. The broad leaves are marked with faint lines. Smooth margins to the leaves distinguish this from the hybrid that is sometimes sold as Aloe striata.
Origins:
A. striata is native to rocky hillsides in the semi-desert regions of South Africa’s Cape Province.
Soil / Aspect:
A. striata will tolerate a range of soil pH, but the soil does need well drained soil. It prefers full sun, though it will tolerate dappled shade. It is hardy down to -5oC though not for prolonged periods, provided the soil is not wet.
Maintenance:
Light watering will plump up the leaves, but this is about as low maintenance as a plant gets. You can either wait until the flower stalk has withered over a few months and can be pulled away by hand; or, if you find the dry stalk unsightly it can be pruned after flowering. Left to mature, the seed heads produce viable seed.