Aloe melanacantha

Common Names: aloe kleinbergaalwyn, goree

Family: Asphodelaceae

Origin:South Africa

Type: Succulent shrub

Size: Leaves 8 in., clumps up to 3 ft. across.

Flowers: Red flowers, winter, yellow later, on single stem up to 3 ft. long; leaves sword-shaped with green thorns along edges that later turn black.

Uses: Rock gardens, accent, succulent gardens, containers. slopes, near oak trees. Fire resistive.

Wildlife: Attracts hummingbirds. Deer resistant.

Soil: Well-drained.

Water: Grows in winter; little water in summer.

Sun: Full sun to part shade.

Pruning: Prune off spent stalks and dead leaves.

Pests & Diseases: (None found.)

Notes: Found in dry regions in sandy and rocky soil in South Africa. “Melanacantha” is from Greek, meaning “with black thorns.”