Aloe Vera Pandra

Aloe Vera 'Pandra' (Aloe vera 'Pandra') is a selected clone grown for its unusually fat, gel filled leaves. The rosette sits at about 60cm tall and wide, with yellow to orange flower spikes lifting around 1m above it. It takes heat, drought and salt air without complaint.

Why you'll love it

• Thick, heavy leaves. Selected for leaf substance, so the rosette reads solid rather than spidery.
• It thrives on neglect. Drought and heat tolerant, it would rather be forgotten for a month than watered weekly.
• Coastal proof. Salt tolerant, so seaside courtyards and balconies do not mark the leaves.
• Tall flower spikes. The 1m spikes bring nectar feeders through the warmer months.
• It fills space quickly. Fast growing and freely offsetting, so a few plants become a colony in a couple of seasons.

Where it works best

Pots, balconies and courtyards. One plant to a 300mm pot of gritty mix, and it will not sulk when the pot bakes in afternoon sun.

Rockeries, hot borders and dry banks. Set plants 50cm apart for a massed bed or a low groundcover, with gravel mulch between them to keep the crowns dry.

Growing Aloe Vera 'Pandra' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to very light shade. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean, arid and semi-arid gardens. Frost tender, so in cool inland and southern districts keep it in a pot and move it under cover before the first frosts.

Soil. Sharp drainage decides whether this plant lives. Use a cactus and succulent mix in pots, or open a bed up with coarse sand and gravel. Heavy wet clay rots the base.

Water and feed. Water deeply, then wait until the mix is dry all the way down: every two to three weeks in summer, monthly or less in winter. One light feed of controlled release fertiliser in spring is ample.

Maintenance. Pull dried lower leaves off by hand rather than cutting them halfway. Divide the offsets every three or four years so the clump does not crowd itself.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes: single tubes, and 140mm pots in packs of ten. Tubes are young rosettes a few centimetres across that fill a 200mm pot in a season. The 140mm plants are further along and are the practical choice for a rockery or a massed bed, where you need numbers.

Succulents travel better than almost anything we send, and the odd bent or bruised leaf tip is normal. Leave yours dry for a week after planting before the first water. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete aloe care guide
• The succulent and cacti range
• Succulents for hot climates
• Rockery plants that suit it

Common questions

Is aloe safe around cats and dogs?

No. Aloe is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed and can cause vomiting and lethargy. Keep it in a raised pot or where your pets do not go.

How often should I water it?

Every two to three weeks in summer, monthly or less in winter, once the mix has dried right through. Soft, translucent or yellowing leaves mean too much water.

Will it survive frost?

Not reliably. It is frost tender, so below freezing it belongs in a pot that can move under eaves for winter.

How far apart do I plant it?

Fifty centimetres apart. At that spacing the offsets close the gaps within two seasons without crowding.