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Aloe 'Moonglow': Salmon-yellow Flower Succulent
Aloe 'Moonglow': Salmon-yellow Flower Succulent
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⚪ Aloe 'Moonglow': Illuminating Your Garden with Soft Color
Aloe 'Moonglow' is a popular and robust hybrid known for its highly desirable fast-clumping habit and stunningly vibrant winter flower display.1 This variety quickly produces numerous offsets (pups), forming a dense, handsome mound of foliage that provides excellent year-round texture. The leaves are a distinctive, fleshy, medium green, often featuring tiny white flecks and marginal teeth. When exposed to bright, full sun or cooler temperatures, the leaves develop an attractive, subtle reddish blush at the tips.
The true highlight of Aloe 'Moonglow' is its cold-season bloom. Tall, slender spikes emerge, crowned with dense clusters of glowing lemon-yellow to creamy-yellow tubular flowers. This prolific winter bloomer provides an essential nectar source, attracting hummingbirds and adding brilliant color to the dormant garden.2 Being drought-tolerant and relatively compact, 'Moonglow' is an ideal, low-maintenance specimen for rock gardens, containers, and mass planting in xeriscapes.3
Botanical Characteristics
|
Characteristic |
Detail |
|
Scientific Name |
Aloe 'Moonglow' (Hybrid Cultivar) |
|
Common Names |
Moonglow Aloe, Yellow Clumping Aloe |
|
Growth Habit |
A low-growing, clumping succulent that spreads rapidly via many offsets to form dense mounds. |
|
Foliage |
Medium-sized, fleshy rosettes of medium green leaves, often flecked with white and developing a reddish blush in bright light. |
|
Flowers |
Showy, tall spikes bearing dense, glowing lemon-yellow to creamy-yellow tubular flowers. |
|
Flowering Season |
Winter and early spring, offering reliable cool-season color. |
|
Special Features |
Rapid clumping growth, highly prolific yellow flowers, and excellent texture. |
Mature Size
Aloe 'Moonglow' maintains a compact, dense form, making it versatile for many landscape applications.
- Height (Foliage): Typically reaches 1–1.5 feet (30–45 cm) tall.
- Height (In Bloom): Flower spikes extend to 1.5–2.5 feet (45–75 cm) tall.
- Spread: Individual rosettes spread 1–1.5 feet wide, forming clumps that can easily reach 3–4 feet (0.9–1.2 meters) wide.
- Its dense, mounding habit is ideal for filling space in dry borders.
USDA Hardiness Zone
This hybrid is suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9–11.4 While it tolerates mild frost, it performs best in mild, dry climates and must be protected from prolonged freezing temperatures and excessive winter moisture.
Cultivation and Care
|
Aspect |
Care Instructions |
|
Sunlight |
Prefers full sun to ensure robust growth and the best flowering performance. Tolerates very light shade. |
|
Soil |
Essential: Requires perfectly draining, porous soil (sandy or gritty succulent mix). Avoid heavy clay or poor drainage. |
|
Water |
Highly drought-tolerant. Water deeply but infrequently during the hot, dry season. Keep dry in winter to prevent rot. |
|
Fertilizer |
Requires minimal fertilizer. Apply a low-nitrogen formula sparingly once in early spring if necessary. |
|
Pruning |
Remove spent flower stalks after blooming. Pups can be separated for propagation or left to enhance the clumping groundcover effect. |
Landscape Use
- Container Gardening: Excellent choice for patio containers and mixed succulent bowls due to its compact size.5
- Mass Planting: Ideal for groundcover or planting in drifts where its rapid clumping can quickly fill space.
- Xeriscape/Rock Gardens: A staple for water-wise designs where its texture and winter bloom are valued.6
- Edging: Useful for lining walkways or defining the edge of dry borders.
Wildlife Attraction
The abundance of lemon-yellow tubular flowers in winter makes Aloe 'Moonglow' highly attractive to hummingbirds, providing a vital food source during the cooler months. Its tough foliage is naturally deer and rabbit resistant.7
Pest and Disease Resistance
Aloe 'Moonglow' is resilient, but the primary threat is root rot and fungal issues caused by overwatering or poor drainage, particularly during winter dormancy. Ensure a dry environment. Watch for mealybugs at the base of the leaves and treat promptly.
Propagation
This hybrid is one of the easiest to propagate due to its prolific offset production. The offsets (pups) can be gently separated, allowed to callous (dry) for several days to prevent rot, and then planted in a dry, well-draining succulent mix to establish new plants.
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