Aloe divaricata - 5ga

This plant listing for reference only.

Aloe divaricata is a tall, upright Madagascan aloe valued for its narrow, architectural form, striking seasonal foliage coloration, and airy winter flower display. In cultivation it typically forms a suckering shrub or small tree aloe, making it useful as a vertical accent in dry gardens and large containers. Among Madagascan aloes, it is distinguished by its combination of slender stems, narrow recurved leaves, and notably open, widely branched inflorescences, giving it a lighter, more transparent presence than many broader-leaved relatives.

Plants develop slender, upright stems that can reach 5 to 7 feet tall in gardens, topped with rosettes of narrow, recurved leaves approximately 18 inches long. Older leaves persist along the stems as a skirt, adding texture and structure. Leaf color varies with light and stress, ranging from blue-green to gray-purple, often flushed with red tones in full sun. Margins are armed with prominent, sharp red teeth, giving the plant a distinctly bold appearance. Some clones remain largely solitary, while others sucker freely to form multi-stemmed specimens. Bloom occurs in winter, when open, multi-branched inflorescences rise roughly 3 feet above the foliage. The inflorescences are notably airy and spread out, bearing well-spaced racemes of deep red tubular flowers, making this species especially valuable for winter color and pollinator support.

Aloe divaricata is endemic to Madagascar, where it is widespread in arid bushland, coastal thickets, and sandy soils from sea level to approximately 2,600 feet in elevation. It was first described in 1905 by Alwin Berger, with the species name referring to the spread, divaricating structure of the inflorescence. Plants grown by San Marcos Growers originate from seed collected in 1998 by Alexandre Viossat and obtained via the Huntington Botanic Garden. Grow this species in full sun for best color and form, in well-drained soil with occasional to infrequent irrigation once established. It is hardy to approximately 25°F under dry conditions and performs best in USDA Zone 9 and warmer. Aloe divaricata works well as a vertical focal plant, a large container specimen, or planted in groups as a narrow, informal hedge, where its shifting foliage color and winter flowers provide year-round structure.