Overall Plant in Landscape
Common Name: aloe
Type: Tree
Family: Asphodelaceae
Native Range: Madagascar
Zone: 9 to 11
Height: 8.00 to 12.00 feet
Spread: 4.00 to 5.00 feet
Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer
Bloom Description: Creamy white
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Evergreen
Tolerate: Drought, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Best grown in dry, sandy loams in full sun. Provide occasional supplemental irrigation during periods of summer drought for fastest growth and best appearance. Tolerant of light frost. Avoid temperatures below 25°F. Hardy in Zones 9b(25°F)-12.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Aloe suzannae is a rare, tree-type aloe endemic to the sandy, open, thorny scrublands of southern Madagascar. Mature plants can reach 8-12' tall and 4-5' wide with a solitary to sparsely branched, upright trunk topped with a dense rosette of succulent foliage. The rigid, evergreen, lanceolate to linear leaves are blue-green in color and have blunt tips. The leaves can reach 3' long, 6" wide, and curve strongly upwards at the base. A single, unbranched, 3' tall inflorescence emerges from mature rosettes seasonally bearing densely packed, creamy white to mauve-tinged flowers.
The genus name Aloe comes from the Arabic name of these perennial succulents.
The specific epithet suzannae honors Suzanne Decary, the daughter of French naturalist and plant collector Raymond Decary (1891-1973) who studied and collected extensively in Madagascar.
Problems
May be particularly susceptible to fungal rots. Avoid overly moist or waterlogged soils.
Uses
Specimen plant for xeriscaping, desert gardens, and rock gardens. This plant is rare in its native habitat. Only purchase nursery-grown stock from reputable growers.