Aloe vanbalenii "Crawling Octopus"

This stunning, short-stemmed, mildly clustering Aloe has strongly recurved, broad leaves that are colored between green and intensely coppery red. The color becomes more intense with drought and sun exposure. When broken, the leaves emit a musty, cinnamony smell. The inflorescences are upright and few-branched. Native to southern Africa from KwaZulu-Natal to Swaziland, it is found on rocky outcrops in bushveld vegetation between 300 and 600 m. In cultivation it is best suited to warm temperate climates in USDA Zones 9 and above.