Mighty Gold™ Aloe

Mighty Gold Aloe (Aloe hybrid 'AL02') is a compact succulent that earns its place twice: once for the pale spotted rosette it keeps all year, and again for the golden flower spikes it raises in the cooler months. It is a small plant, roughly 40cm across at maturity, and unusually forgiving for an aloe, handling the occasional wet spell that would rot many of its relatives. Bred by Ozbreed for its hardy exotic range, it is drought and frost tolerant.

Why you'll love it

• Gold flowers when the garden is quiet. The spikes come in autumn and winter, feeding honeyeaters and giving colour when most beds are resting.
• Spotted foliage all year. The leaves carry pale flecks that make the rosette interesting even out of flower.
• Copes with the odd wet spell. It handles occasional periodic wet feet, which most aloes will not, so a run of heavy rain is not fatal.
• Drought and frost tolerant. Established plants live on rain alone across southern Australia and come through frost.
• Compact and tough. It stays small and tidy, so it fits a border, a rockery pocket or a pot.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 40cm apart, four to eight plants per square metre, and the rosettes join into a low spotted carpet within two seasons.

Borders. Three to six plants per linear metre along a path edge or the front of a dry bed gives a neat line with gold spikes above it in the cool months.

Specimen and pots. Planted singly in a rockery or a wide pot of succulent mix, the spotted rosette holds its own as a small feature, and the 300mm size we sell is ready to do that job now.

Growing Mighty Gold Aloe in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with full sun giving the most flower and the tightest rosette. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens: New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia, and southern Queensland in raised beds with free draining soil. The ACT is still being tested. Humid tropical gardens are not for it.

Soil. Most soils, with drainage mattering most. On clay, improve the drainage or raise the bed. The wet feet tolerance is for the occasional wet spell, not a boggy site.

Water and feed. Water as needed for the first 8 to 13 weeks, then only in long dry spells. Chunky mulch kept off the crown, and a slow release fertiliser once a year.

Pruning. Cut the spent flower stems at the base if you want it tidy; nothing else is needed. Aloe sap can upset dogs and cats that chew the leaves, so site it away from pet runs.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Mighty Gold Aloe as single 300mm pots. That is a mature rosette, full sized and ready to flower, the right choice for a feature spot or a planter that needs to look finished now. It travels well; the fleshy leaves hold their own water, and a scuffed outer leaf on arrival is cosmetic. Settle it into free draining soil and leave it be.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full aloe range
• See the full Ozbreed range
• More drought tolerant plants
• Our aloe care guide

Common questions

Is it really frost tolerant?

Yes. It is rated frost tolerant and recommended as far south as Tasmania. Open flowers may be marked after a hard frost; the plant itself is fine.

Can it go in a pot?

Yes, and a single 300mm plant is the ideal start. Use a free draining succulent mix and a pot with open drainage holes, and water only when the mix has dried through.

How big does it get?

It stays compact. Plan on about 40cm across, with the flower spikes standing above the leaves in the cool months; the spacing of four to eight plants per square metre is its footprint.