Plant in full sun in a well-drained fairly rich soil and in ample sun. Benefits from late fall through spring irrigation in low rainfall years but can otherwise withstand long periods of drought. Tolerant of frost and cold hardy to 30-32° F and short durations freezes a bit below this. It is easy to grow, requiring very little care and us well suited to a rock garden, on a sloping bank or in containers. Aloe pictifolia is native to the Eastern Cape Providence of South Africa where it grows on quartzitic sandstone cliffs overlooking the Kouga River. The name Aloe comes from ancient Greek name aloe that was derived from the Arabian word 'alloch' that was used to describe the plant or its juice that was used as medicine. The specific epithet is a combination of the Latin word 'pictus' meaning "painted" and 'folium' meaning "leaf" in reference to the white-spotted leaves and this is also why it is called Speckled Aloe. Another name for it is Kouga aloe.

We first received seed of this plant from Brian Kemble, curator at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in 2002 and we offered this plant for sale from 2009 until 2015. 

The information about Aloe pictifolia that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.