Aloe hildebrandtii - 4in

Reference only - not in production

Aloe hildebrandtii is an ordinary looking, low-growing, shrubby aloe from Somalia, where it tends to sprawl all over the place on stalks up to 3 feet long and forms large clumps. It is a branching shrubby plant with many 2-4 feet long stems composed of individual rosettes, each about one foot in diameter. This aloe has a looser growth habit than many upright aloes, similar to Aloe arborescens but not as upright in habit. The leaves are light green and speckled with white spots, with margins lined with small, triangular-shaped, brownish teeth, and it's very drought tolerant. Aloe hildebrandtii produces interesting branched conical yellow flowers tipped with a bit of green in the spring, summer, and into fall, with mature plants flowering nearly every month of the year in California. Originating from Somalia and Ethiopia, its precise origin was initially unclear but is now found to be fairly widely distributed in the mountains of northern Somalia, varying in flower color from yellow to pastel orange or even dull scarlet. Easy to grow from seedlings to flowering plants in just 3 to 4 years, Aloe hildebrandtii is reported as fairly cold hardy, withstanding frosts down to around 26°F, although lower temperatures can result in severe damage or death. It's suitable for cactus, succulent, and rock gardens, trailing over walls, mixed with other succulents in hanging baskets, or as a loose taller ground cover, offering a nice contrast with dark foliage plants.