Aloe Supreme Orange

Aloe Supreme Orange (Aloe hybrid) is a compact garden aloe bred for flowers rather than size. The rosette of toothed grey green leaves holds to about 0.5m, and tall spikes of hot orange flowers lift above it to roughly 0.6m, drawing honeyeaters in while the rest of the garden is doing nothing. Once established it wants almost no water.

Why you'll love it

• Orange flowers when little else is out. The spikes carry well above the foliage and hold their colour for weeks.
• Honeyeaters find it fast. Nectar rich flowers pull small birds into courtyards and front gardens.
• Survives real neglect. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and happy in poor soil, so it suits a strip nobody waters.
• Coastal proof. Salt tolerance means it holds up on exposed seaside blocks where softer plants burn.

Where it works best

Mass planting and borders. Plant 40cm apart for a continuous band of rosettes. At that spacing the clumps knit into a low edge without crowding each other out.

Rockeries and dry slopes. Sharp drainage between rocks is exactly what it wants, and the flower spikes read well against stone.

Pots and coastal gardens. A 300mm pot with free draining mix suits a single plant on a hot balcony, and it takes salt laden wind without protection.

Growing Aloe Supreme Orange in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the best flowering. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and tolerates only light frost. In cold southern and inland districts grow it in a pot that can move under cover for winter.

Soil. Free draining is non negotiable. On clay, plant on a raised mound with coarse sand or gravel worked through, and mulch with pebbles rather than bark to keep the crown dry.

Water and feed. Water fortnightly through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. Feeding is rarely needed, though a light dose of controlled release fertiliser in spring lifts the flower count.

Pruning. Cut spent flower spikes at the base once they brown, and pull away dead lower leaves. That is the whole maintenance program.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tubes, 140mm packs of ten, 200mm packs of six and 300mm. Tube and 140mm plants are small single rosettes and the sensible way to buy a mass planting. The 300mm plant is a filled out clump that usually flowers in its first season with you.

Plants travel dry and upright and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Leave a newly planted aloe unwatered for the first week so any bruised roots seal, then water normally. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Aloe care guide
• Browse the succulent range
• Plants for rockeries and dry slopes
• Compare coastal and salt tolerant plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Forty centimetres apart for mass planting or a border. Closer spacing looks full sooner but restricts airflow, which matters for a plant that dislikes damp crowns.

Is it safe around dogs and cats?

No. Aloe leaves contain compounds that cause vomiting and diarrhoea in cats and dogs if eaten, so avoid it in a garden where pets chew plants.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. A brief touch of cold marks the leaf tips but the plant recovers, while repeated hard frosts will rot the crown. Southern gardeners should treat it as a container plant.

How often will it flower?

Established plants usually flower through the cooler months and often repeat in spring. Full sun and lean, dry soil produce far more spikes than a shaded, well fed position.