ALOE plicatilis

Description

An interesting succulent shrub with gray colored stems that terminate with a fan-like cluster arrangement of flat 12 inch long slightly upcurved blue-gray round-tipped leaves. Old plants are typically 3-6 feet tall but others in cultivation have been noted to 8 feet tall by 6 feet wide and plants from the wilds of the high winter rainfall areas of western Cape Mountains of South Africa are reportedly as tall as 15 feet. Each leaf cluster bears one erect 12 to 20 inch tall unbranched inflorescence bearing an open terminal cluster of tubular orange-red flowers in late winter to early spring.
Plant in the sun, but away from the hottest afternoon sun in inland situations and water occasionally during summer months. Hardy to about 23 degrees F