Aloiampelos striatula aka Hardy Aloe

Aloiampelos striatula is a succulent that stays green all year. It belongs to the Asphodelaceae family. It also goes by the name Aloe striatula. Its common name is striped-stemmed aloe. Its native range runs from South Africa’s Eastern Cape to Lesotho. It grows in high places within this southern African range. Kew lists its broad climate zone as subtropical. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This plant forms a bushy shrub whose stems scramble. Pale and dark green stripes mark its stems and leaf sheaths. These sheaths wrap around the stems. The stripes give the plant its common name. Its leaves stay green through the year. Garden plants reach about 5–8 feet (1.5–2.5 metres) in height. Their spread falls within the same range. They take about five to ten years to reach full size. Leave room for their height and for stems to spread.

Yellow flowers grow in groups called racemes in summer. Orange stamens reach out past the flowers. The flower spikes stand about 1.3 feet (0.4 metres) tall. The blooms add summer colour above the green growth. The RHS suggests it for bold planting that gives gardens structure. It also suits gravel gardens, rock gardens and wall-side borders. You can grow it on patios and in containers. Its shape also suits gardens with a subtropical theme.

Grow it outdoors in full sun where water drains fast. Choose a site with shelter, not an exposed spot. The RHS lists loam and sand as suitable soils. It grows in acid, neutral and alkaline soils. Keep outdoor plants safe from too much winter wet. Under glass, use peat-free compost based on loam. Add grit or sand to the mix. The RHS gives it a UK hardiness rating of H3. Its growing notes say it can survive winter more widely with excellent drainage. Those notes exclude the far north of the UK.

This plant needs little care and no routine pruning. Raise seed in spring at 21°C, or take summer stem cuttings. Under glass, scale insects or mealybugs may attack plants. Disease poses no major threat when growing conditions suit it. Wet soil and poor drainage can lead to root rot. Water must drain well both outdoors and under glass. Shelter and cover from winter wet remain key needs.