- Mature height
- 2m to 4m
- Mature width
- 1.5m to 2.5m
Aloe ferox, the Cape Aloe, is a single trunked tree aloe carrying a large rosette of broad blue-grey leaves armed with reddish spines. Old dry leaves persist down the trunk as a skirt. Branched flower spikes stand about a metre above the crown in winter, carrying dense orange-red candles of tubular flowers.
It wants full sun and free draining soil, and once established it survives on rainfall alone through long, hot, dry summers. It suits Mediterranean, warm temperate, coastal and semi-arid districts, and takes light to moderate frost. Growth runs at 20 to 50 centimetres a year, so trunk height builds steadily over a decade.
It is used as a specimen in gravel and succulent gardens, in rows along driveways, in large raised planters and across commercial waterwise landscapes. It is a serious winter food source for honeyeaters. On big sites it supplies vertical structure without irrigation, which is why it appears so often in dry planting schemes.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Cape Aloe
What is Cape Aloe?
It is a large tree aloe from South Africa, one of the biggest single stemmed aloes in cultivation. The thick trunk is covered in retained dry leaves and topped by a rosette of broad spined blue-grey foliage. It is also the plant harvested commercially for bitter aloe sap. Long lived and slow to age.
How big does Cape Aloe grow?
Expect 2 to 3 metres tall over time, occasionally reaching 4 metres on old plants, with a rosette 1.5 to 2 metres across. The trunk gains 20 to 50 centimetres a year in good conditions. Flower spikes add another metre above the crown, so allow for the full height when siting it.
When does it flower?
Winter into early spring, roughly June to September. Mature plants send up branched candelabra spikes of dense orange-red flowers standing about a metre above the foliage. A single plant can carry six or more spikes at once. Flowering usually begins once a trunk has formed, at around four to five years.
Is it drought tolerant?
Yes, exceptionally so. It comes from dry parts of the Eastern and Western Cape and stores enough water in its leaves to ride out long droughts. Established plants need no irrigation in most Australian climates. Water monthly through the first summer to establish, then only in extreme heat, and never in winter.
Is it frost tolerant?
It handles light to moderate frost once established and is grown across southern Australia away from the coldest tablelands. Young plants are more vulnerable, so protect them through their first two winters. Frost combined with wet soil causes rot at the base, so drainage matters more than any frost cloth.
Can it grow in pots?
Yes while young, though it eventually outgrows most containers. Use a large, heavy pot with a coarse succulent mix, since the plant becomes top heavy as the trunk develops and needs the ballast. Expect to plant it out or move up a pot size every few years. Water only when the mix is dry.
How do I care for Cape Aloe?
Remove spent flower spikes at the base after flowering. The skirt of dry leaves on the trunk can be left, which is the natural look, or trimmed off for a cleaner stem. Water rarely once established and never let water sit around the base. A light spring feed is enough on poor soil.