Aloe succotrina

Common Names

Fynbos Aloe, Table Mountain Aloe, Bombay Aloe, Mountain Aloe, Bergaalwyn, Socotrine Aloe

Summary

Fynbos Aloe is an evergreen succulent shrub native to the Cape Town area and the southwestern Western Cape, South Africa, typically growing in dense clumps with rosettes of upcurved dull blue-green leaves bearing white spots, white margins and teeth, and old leaf bases often purple, leaves reach about 18 inches long and 2–3 inches wide, rosettes about 2 feet across, with mid to late winter bright orange-red tubular flowers on unbranched spikes up to about 3 feet long, and it tolerates seaside conditions in full sun to light shade on well-drained soil. Cultivation favors full sun to light shade, very little irrigation, and well-drained soil, frost hardiness is to about 20°F in some gardens, and it is drought-tolerant once established, suitable for borders, rockeries, coastal gardens, containers, and Mediterranean-style landscapes, with propagation by offsets or stem cuttings, uses include ornamental value, winter flowers, and historical dye or medicinal gel uses, while parts are toxic to humans and pets if ingested and should be handled with care, and pollinators include sunbirds and bees.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3-4 ft

Spread

4-6 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 9a-11b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade (6-8 hours daily in full sun).

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil, pH 6.0–7.5

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

6.0-7.5

Bloom Color

Orange-red

Bloom Time

Winter

Foliage Color

Grey-green

Fall Foliage Color

Purple

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Moderate growth rate; about 6–12 inches per year; spreading slowly outward.

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings (stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, offshoots), Division (offsets/pups)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds