Aloe erinacea

A very popular compact Aloe species with heads maturing at 10 to 12cm. Plants are covered in soft white spines creating a very stunning effect. In winter orange flowers appear on flower stems of 30 to 40cm and last 5 to 6 weeks.

Position - Full sun or partial shade. Great in gardens, borders, rockeries or pots. Indoors only in well-lit positions otherwise they will lose their nice shape and colour. Will tolerate darker positions but will elongate and not produce offsets.

Watering - Can be watered all year round and grows most of the year. Plants will survive without water for many months.

Feeding - 25% of recommended dosage monthly in growing period. The less fertiliser, the better the shape of the plant. Fertilisers high in nitrogen can produce larger plants with less colour.

Repotting - Can be left to overgrow their pots, or repotted in the warmer months in almost any well drained potting mix.