Aloe Mighty Sunset

Aloe 'Mighty Sunset' (Aloe hybrid 'Mighty Sunset') is a compact hybrid grown for its winter flower spikes, which push up in hot orange and red above a low rosette of thick toothed leaves. Including those spikes it sits at around 70cm each way, so it works as a feature in a pot or repeated through a rockery. Honeyeaters find the flowers quickly, which is half the reason to plant it near a window.

Why you'll love it

• Flowers in the cold months. The orange and red spikes arrive when little else is doing anything, and they last for weeks.
• Honeyeaters come to it. Nectar rich tubular flowers pull native birds into the garden.
• A compact rosette. Roughly 70cm each way is manageable for a pot or a repeated planting, unlike the tree aloes that need serious room.
• It thrives on neglect. Drought, heat and salt tolerant and comfortable in poor soil, so a forgotten pot on a hot balcony still holds its shape.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. A 300mm to 400mm pot with a free draining mix is ideal, and terracotta suits it because it dries out between waterings.

Rockeries and coastal gardens. Thin soil, reflected heat and salt wind are all within its range, and among rock and gravel the rosette form reads clearly.

Mass planting and feature planting. Plant 60cm apart for a mass planting where the winter spikes lift together. As a single feature, one plant flanked by gravel holds a courtyard corner.

Worth knowing before you order: aloe sap is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten.

Growing Aloe 'Mighty Sunset' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the strongest leaf colour and the most flower spikes, though it accepts a few hours of shade. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so in cold districts grow it in a pot under eaves or against a warm wall.

Soil. Sharp drainage is the one non negotiable. Use a cactus and succulent mix in pots, and in the ground plant on a raised mound with coarse sand worked through. Wet feet through a cool winter is what kills aloes, not cold.

Water and feed. Water weekly for the first month, then let the soil dry right out between soaks. In the ground it rarely needs water after the first summer. Feed once in early spring with a low nitrogen fertiliser, or skip it in the garden.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems off at the base, and pull away dried lower leaves by hand. Offsets can be separated in spring and potted on.

What to expect when it arrives

Four sizes are grown: a single tube, 140mm in a pack of 10, 200mm in a pack of 6 and 300mm. Tubes are small young rosettes that take two seasons to reach flowering size. The 200mm pack of 6 fits a rockery or a repeated bed, and a 300mm plant is close to full size and can go straight into a feature pot.

Succulents are among the best travellers we send, since thick leaves carry their own moisture. Leave the plant dry for a week before the first water. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The complete aloe care guide
• Browse the succulent range
• Compare plants suited to rockeries
• More bird attracting plants

Common questions

When does it flower?

Mainly through the cooler months, when the orange and red spikes stand well clear of the rosette. Established plants in full sun flower more heavily and often send up several spikes at once.

Why are the leaves going soft and brown at the base?

Almost always too much water, or soil that stays wet. Ease off the watering, check the pot drains freely, and in the ground replant on a raised mound.

Is it safe around pets?

No. Aloe sap is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten and causes vomiting and lethargy. Choose a different succulent if your pet chews foliage.