Coral aloe

Aloe striata

Description

In recent years, the Coral aloe has become the most popular aloe in Inland Empire gardens, however it has also been struggling in many local gardens with an insect pest called aloe mite. While they look different, aloe vera and Blue Elf aloe are popular alternative choices that do not seem to have issues with aloe mite.

Coral aloe attractive species that grows as a solitary plant to 1-2 ft. in size. Long, tapered and pale green leaves have distinctive parallel veins and smooth orange margins. Dense clusters of colorful coral to deep orange flowers occur for many weeks during winter and early spring on branched panicles 24-30 in. tall.

Coral aloe is cold tolerant to 24°F, it can be planted in sunny to partial shade garden locations. It can be grown in pots, around rocks, on banks and raised planters where it provides flowering character and attracts hummingbirds.

Plant Type: Aloe
Foliage Character: Succulent, Evergreen
Habit: Symmetrical, Solitary, Rigid, Compact
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Pale green
Flower Color: Orange
Flower Season: Winter, Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil
Exposure Adaptations: Heat, Drought, All day sun, Partial sun, Wind
Function: Residential spaces, Raised planters, Near pools and water features, Mass planting, Hummingbird plant, Grouped, Flowering accent plant, Container plant, Commercial spaces, Borders, Rock gardens
Height: 12 in. – 24 in.
Width: 12 in. – 24 in.

Watering Schedule: Low 2

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 2 weeks after establishment.

Learn how to apply this watering schedule to your landscape on our How to water waterwise and California native plants page.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another two weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
To save water, in many cases you can go longer in between waterings during the winter, often up to 3-4 weeks between watering for well-established plants. Two weeks after watering, check the soil approximately 4” below the surface. If it is still significantly moist, you can wait longer before watering again.
In most cases, if you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, you may use these features to save some water in in the fall and winter. If you are using automatic weather adjusting functions, continue to allow the timer to run every two weeks. It will adjust the number of minutes it runs to account for the cooler weather.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.