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Aloe arborescens 'Lutea' (Golden Torch Aloe) - This is the yellow form of Torch Aloe, named Aloe arborescens, a large densely growing species with red flowers that can grow to 9 feet tall by an equal spread but this cultivar 'Lutea' is generally a smaller plant to 4 to 5 feet tall and wide with yellow flowers that hang tightly on unbranched inflorescences that rise 2 feet above the foliage in late fall and early winter. The 18-inch-wide rosettes have leaves that are narrow and recurved with soft toothed margins. Leaf color varies with amount of sunlight but is typically a dull green or yellowish blue-green.
Plant in full sun (coast) to light shade. This drought tolerant plant does great in coastal California without any supplementary irrigation. Hardy to about 22 degrees F. A nice cultivar that is a slower growing and smaller than the species.
This species has an extensive natural distribution in southern Africa, from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi south through eastern South Africa, and then westward in a strip along the coast nearly to Cape Town. Much of its natural range receives summer or year-round rainfall but in our mediterranean climate this species has adapted well and thrives with our winter rainfall with very little to no summer irrigation.
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 means "becoming a tree" for this plant's large stature, though a bit misleading as this plant is more of a large shrub.
We have grown this plant since 1997 and also started growing that same year a very similar and obviously related plant yellow flowering cultivar we call Aloe 'Yellow Torch'.
This information about Aloe arborescens 'Lutea' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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