Plant Library

Other Names:  Gold Tooth Aloe, Aloe mitriformis x brevifolia

Description:

Profusely suckering rosettes of short, green leaves with pink flushed tips and yellow to white teeth; produces erect, branched racemes of tubular orange-red flowers in mid-summer; a wonderful garden or container accent

Ornamental Features

Golden Toothed Aloe features showy racemes of orange tubular flowers with red overtones rising above the foliage in mid summer. Its attractive succulent pointy leaves remain green in color with prominent pink tips throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Golden Toothed Aloe is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its wonderfully bold, coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced garden composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spiny

Golden Toothed Aloe is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Golden Toothed Aloe will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Golden Toothed Aloe is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.