Plant
Coral Aloe
Aloe striataCoral aloe forms broad, stemless rosettes of smooth, blue-green succulent leaves edged in distinctive toothless pink margins. Unlike most spiny aloes, its foliage feels completely smooth to the touch and displays faint longitudinal striping that intensifies under full sun. In late winter, branched flower stalks emerge to produce flat-topped clusters of luminous coral-red blossoms that draw sunbirds and honeybees from across the arid landscape.
SucculentDrought-TolerantWinter-Flowering
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
- Aloe snout beetles
- Baboons
- Tortoises
ThreatsIllegal succulent poaching, overgrazing, and urban development
HabitatsArid rocky slopes, Karoo scrubland, and dry valleys
Life span25–50 years
Classification
- OrderAsparagales
- FamilyAsphodelaceae
- GenusAloe
- SpeciesAloe striata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Toxic to dogs and cats if ingested; keep curious pets from chewing leaves.
- Why it is dangerous
- Leaves contain anthraquinone glycosides that cause vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy if chewed by domestic cats or dogs.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for flat, stemless rosettes of spineless blue-gray leaves with smooth, translucent pink borders.
- What to do
- Plant out of reach of curious household pets, and seek veterinary care if leaves are ingested.
Responsible observation
- Flower watching: Inspect clusters during midday in late winter to observe pollinating sunbirds and native bees.
- Soil requirements: Provide sharply draining rocky or sandy soil, as moisture-retentive substrate quickly rots the roots.
- Safe touch: Enjoy the unique smooth margins without worrying about the spiny teeth common to other aloes.
Pollinator (c) Steve Garvie, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Vilseskogen, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Vilseskogen · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) desertnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by desertnaturalist · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Ton Rulkens, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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