PlantFiles: Lebombo Aloe, Gazaland Aloe
Aloe spicata

Impressive looking Aloe with big graceful curving leaves..the amount of red depends on how dry its kept. In a spot in full sun where water can be withheld after a good rooting in period, is ideal.
Mine spent it's first summer in a pot and turned a beautiful pale reddish..the second summer in ground it was able to find water and lost most of that color. Now in late January it has sent up a flowering spike -at a snails pace. Funny to see such a big rosette with a puny spike as of now. Mine seems to sucker freely. A must have for Aloe collectors looking for foliage color more than the modest flower color.
Hardy to light frost.

Great looking aloe with lots of color in the sun- bright green to nearly an orange-pink in the leaves. Leaves are stiff, arching tapering and spineless. Zimbabwe native. Rosettes of many long, thinnish leaves up to 3' in diameter, and incredible, simple, tall, golden flowers that tend to open gradually along their length. Also used in the medicinal field (not sure for what). Most often seen in botanical gardens under the synonym Aloe sessiliflora.

Based on the photos on this page I am concerned that Aloe vryheidensis and this species will be hard to tell apart. I have usually seen the A vryheidensis as an plant with straight or upwardly curving leaves, while Aloe spicata has leaves that curl back towards the ground. But perhaps young specimens don't do this?