Aloe dorotheae aka Sunset Aloe

Aloe dorotheae is a small succulent, a plant that stores water. It is a perennial, so it lives for many years. It comes from northeastern Tanzania, in eastern Africa. Its native range includes the Pangani district. It belongs to the Asphodelaceae family. Its home climate has wet and dry seasons. The plant forms low clumps of rosettes with a shrub-like shape. New offsets grow at a slow rate around the parent plant. Clumps can reach about 1.6 feet (0.5 metres) across. Each rosette has little or no stem in view.

The leaves form a spiral around each rosette's centre. They are lanceolate, or lance-shaped, with narrow tips. They curve back and tend to curl inward in dry spells. The smooth, glossy leaves can look almost like plastic. Young leaves may be green or yellow-green. Plants in shade can keep these green tones too. As leaves age, they turn orange or brownish red. Strong light can bring out a rich copper-red colour. Young plants have long white spots that fade with age. Short, pale teeth line the leaf edges. These teeth let some light pass through.

Flowers grow on a simple spike in early spring. The flower stem reaches about 2 feet (0.6 metres). It bears small red flowers with yellow-green edges. Bright blooms add colour above the low leaf clumps. The leaves give colour even when the plant has no flowers. Both traits suit rock gardens and pots.

This aloe needs strong light and soil that drains well. A mix of sand and loam suits plants in pots. It copes with long dry spells. Still, water at the right times of year helps it flower. LLIFLE says it can cope with weekly water in summer. In cold months, watering may drop to once a month or stop. It likes hot summers and mild winters that stay quite dry. Plants can bear a few degrees of frost. This does not show a precise hardiness zone. It can grow outdoors in spring and summer where the climate allows.

In mild climates, it suits open, dry rock gardens. It also suits large pots on a patio. Its red leaf tones stand out against green garden plants. Care is simple with the right light, drainage, and watering. Soil that drains poorly can cause problems. So can too much shade or the wrong watering. The source notes pests and diseases but names none. It describes sowing seeds in autumn as the main way to grow new plants. Use coarse river sand in the seed trays.