Aloe congolensis

Aloe buettneri A.Berger

Congo Aloe, Tiger Tooth Aloe

Aloeaceae

Congo

1 Gallon

6" to 8"

2-4'

25 to 30°F; -3.9 to -1.1°C

Very high

Full sun (best color) to light shade

Drought tolerant, Can take light irrigation in summer

None

Excellent drought tolerant small-scale ground cover. Attractive in rock gardens, succulent and cactus gardens and useful in xeriscape plantings as well. It is deer resistant. Also works well as a succulent container plant and in hanging baskets where long offsetting branches droop ornamentally.

Remove and replant offsets. Seeds can be collected from dried seed pods

This is a small clustering aloe. It grows from tightly-spaced 5 inch rosettes of triangular leaves on stems which lie across the ground. In drought and other times of stress the leaves take on a reddish brown cast. Being a prolific offsetting plant it will eventually cover an area, especially if offsets are removed and replanted nearby. The leaves are armed with sharp teeth so use care when pruning back. It blooms in late fall to winter on unbranched racemes which rise about a foot above the leaves. The peach-orange colored flowers come when the plant is more mature and in full sun. This aloe needs protection from hard frosts.