The Torch aloe is one of the most commonly grown aloes throughout Southern California and the Inland Empire. It grows into a dense mounding shrub comprised of many entangled stems with rosettes of thick succulent leaves. Mature plants grow 6-12 ft. tall and spread 10-12 ft. across and wider. Leaves are pale to medium green, tapered, reach 12-18 in. long and have numerous knobby spines on the margins. Colorful flowers are deep red-orange and occur on stems in early to mid-winter.
Torch aloe can serve as the anchor plant in mixed succulent plantings in hot and sunny garden locations. Both its size and bold winter flowering make it well suited as an accent plant; the fact that its flowers are highly attractive to nectar-seeking birds is an added bonus. It requires little care and can be kept to smaller sizes when grown in large pots.
