Plant Care Library

Description:

A beautiful variety with gray-green leaves, with reddish purple variegation, and studded with white teeth on the margins; produces racemes of red-orange flower clusters in late spring or early summer; a wonderful garden or container accent

Ornamental Features

Compton's Aloe's attractive succulent sword-like leaves remain grayish green in color with showy red variegation throughout the year on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. It features dainty racemes of red tubular flowers with orange overtones rising above the foliage from late spring to early summer.

Landscape Attributes

Compton's 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

Compton's Aloe is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Compton's Aloe will grow to be about 16 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 20 inches. It grows at a slow 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 should only be grown in full sunlight. 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 species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Compton's 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.