Coral Aloe

Aloe striata

Unlike the other Aloes I have, this drought and frost resistant Aloe striata resides in my garden instead of in a container. Its wide, flat and spineless leaves have a pinkish hue, especially along the margins, because it receives a lot of sun. When shaded by a nearby Palo Verde tree, the leaves will take on a more blue-green shade. This fall, we had a few unseasonably hot days after the Palo Verde tree was trimmed, and this plant received some sunburn, which has detracted from its beauty. That sunburn shows up as the whitish areas on the leaves.

Better known as Coral Aloe, it does well in USDA Zones 9b-11. It is one of the stemless Aloe varieties. It grows two to three feet wide and up to two feet tall, and in mid-January, it consistently sends up a stalk with orange-red flowers that last for several weeks.

The name, striata, means marked with lines. The lines are somewhat visible on the unburned leaves of the Aloe in the photo. I’m not a huge Aloe fan, but of the ones I have, this species is my favorite. It was in a four-inch pot when I purchased it, and it has grown to its present size in just three years. With its good looks and consistent flowering, what’s not to like?