Aloe Pink Blush

Aloe 'Pink Blush' (Aloe hybrid) is a compact rosette aloe with pink toned, white speckled foliage and coral flower spikes that lift to about 60cm. The plant stays neat at roughly 40cm tall and 40cm wide, which makes it useful in a rockery or a pot. It survives the neglect that kills most colour in a hot garden.

Why you'll love it

• Colour in the leaf and the flower. The foliage carries a pink blush that deepens in strong sun, and coral spikes rise above it for weeks at a time.
• It brings birds in. Nectar rich flower spikes are worked over by honeyeaters, a good reason to plant it near a window.
• Compact and predictable. At 40cm each way it holds its shape and does not sprawl over neighbouring plants.
• Tough on every front that matters. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant, salt tolerant and content on poor soil.

Where it works best

Rockeries and borders. It is at home between rocks and gravel where drainage is sharp, and a row along a bed edge at 40cm centres gives a defined line without clipping.

Mass planting. Plant 40cm apart in drifts. At that spacing the rosettes almost touch at maturity and read as a continuous carpet.

Pots and coastal gardens. A pot 250mm or wider with cactus mix suits a single plant on a hot balcony, and salt tolerance makes it reliable in exposed coastal beds.

Growing Aloe Pink Blush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, which is where the pink tones develop. It suits tropical, subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so in cold inland and southern districts grow it in a pot that can move under an eave for winter.

Soil. Sharp drainage above all else. A gritty succulent mix in pots, or garden soil opened up with coarse sand and gravel. Poor soil is fine; wet soil is what kills aloes.

Water and feed. Water weekly for the first two months, then let the soil dry right through between drinks. In the ground it needs almost nothing outside a long drought. A light feed of controlled release fertiliser in early spring is plenty.

Pruning. Cut spent flower spikes off at the base once they brown, and pull away dried lower leaves by hand. Offsets can be separated in spring and replanted to extend a drift.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tube stock, in 140mm pots sold in packs of ten, in 200mm pots sold in packs of six, and as single 300mm plants. Tubes and 140mm plants are small rosettes, the sensible buy for a mass planting. The 300mm plants are near mature and can flower in their first season.

Succulents travel well, since the leaves carry their own water. Leave new plants dry for a week after planting so any damaged roots can seal, then begin watering. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read the full aloe care guide
• Browse the succulent range
• Other rockery plants for the same conditions
• Coastal and salt tolerant plants

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Aloes are toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, causing vomiting and lethargy. Plant it where a pet that chews foliage cannot reach it, or keep the pot up on a bench.

How far apart should I plant it?

Forty centimetres apart for a mass planting or an edging row. That lets each rosette reach full size while the drift still closes over within two seasons.

How often does it flower?

Hybrid aloes of this type flower repeatedly through the warmer months rather than in one short burst. Removing spent spikes encourages the next round.

Why has my plant gone soft and mushy?

Too much water, or soil that holds it. Aloes rot from the base when drainage is poor, so check that the pot drains freely and cut back watering.