Partridge-breasted Aloe

Aloe variegata is one of the most popular and recognisable aloes for indoor cultivation in the UK. It is a small, slow-growing succulent that forms a compact rosette of triangular, dark green leaves. The leaves are strikingly marked with horizontal bands of white spots, similar to the markings on a partridge’s breast. It is a tough, reliable plant that is well-suited to the dry air of a centrally heated UK home. Rated H2, it should be grown on a bright windowsill but protected Fletcher from the most intense, direct midday summer sun which can scorch the leaves. In spring, it produces beautiful, arching spikes of tubular orange-pink flowers that are surprisingly large for the size of the plant. It requires an open, gritty compost and should be watered from the base or very carefully to avoid water sitting in the leaf axils, which can cause rot. It is a long-lived and very rewarding houseplant.

Sun: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Well-drained, sandy cacti mix.

Hardiness: H2 — down to 1°C.

Flowering: Mar, Apr, May.