(photograph = Aloe mawii flowers, Ton Rulkens)
Introduction
Aloe mawii is native to Malawi, Mozambique, and southern Tanzania where it grows on grassy, or otherwise sparsely covered, granite slopes to over 5,500 ft elevation.
The Details
The plants form a rosette or small single-stemmed tree to 8-ft tall; most often the plants are lower than 3- or 4-ft tall and often form small colonies arising from suckers. A. mawii holds its bright orange-red flowers in horizontal branches, perhaps to better provide perches for birds.
Under nearly frost-free conditions, such as in Southern California gardens, the plant is easily grown on almost any soil. It will cheerfully bloom during the cooler months. In drought and heat the leaves turn red and make a great garden feature.
Additional Reading: The Genus Aloe in Malawii
