Prickly Aloe (Aloe aculeata): A Heavily Armed Aloe

Aloe aculeata, the Prickly Aloe, lives up to its name with leaves that are densely covered in sharp, brownish spines on both surfaces and margins, giving it a formidable, bristly appearance. Its rosettes are stemless and usually solitary, with leaves that curve inward. In late winter to spring, it produces tall, branched racemes of yellow to orange flowers. This South African aloe is a collector's plant for its extreme armature.