Colourwise Nursery, Glenorie NSW

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Aloe dichotoma
'Dragon Tree Aloe'

Aloe dichotoma is a distinctive single trunk tree aloe and
one of the largest Aloes, up to 9 m tall and 6 m wide.
Leaves are long, narrow, deeply channelled and curved with a
toothed margin and arranged in dense terminal rosettes.

Uses: The strong architectural form of the Dragon-tree aloe, the beautiful winter flowers that appear on mature plants, plus its water miser habit, are good reasons to choose this plant.  Well suited to a rock garden, on a sloping bank or even in containers. Planted in bold clumps in parklands they create great impact. Aloe dichotoma is an extremely tough tree that may reach an age of over 80 years.
Flowers: The inflorescence is short and erect with three to five racemes. The bright yellow flowers, 3cm long, develop on branched spikes in June through August.
Growth Habit: The distinctive tree-like form with large rosettes of succulent leaves nestled on forked branches make it a spectacular specimen plant. It will grow to 9 metres tall if given space, but its size will be restricted if planted in large decorative pots and containers.  The dichotomous or forked branching eventually forms a spreading, rounded crown of foliage as a result of the repeatedly forked branches hence the species name dichotoma (dichotomous meaning forked). In juvenile plants the leaves are ranked in vertical rows.
The branches are smooth covered with a white bloom and the bark on the trunk has beautiful golden brown scales the colour and texture an added bonus. The bright yellow flowers are relatively large blooming from June to August
Growing Guide: Planted in well-drained rich soil in full sun to light shade it is easy to grow requiring very little care. Good drainage is essential to prevent rot. The plants will benefit from a regular mulch of compost. Can withstand long periods of drought, but will thrive and flower more profusely if watered in the growing season. This species is more or less dormant in winter; keep it totally dry at or around 4°C. If freezing temperatures are expected, the trunk should be wrapped, since it is more frost sensitive than the leaves.

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