Plant in a well-drained soil in full sun to light shade in the desert and water occasionally to infrequently. This plant is listed as not liking water in winter months but we have found that it does well in our winter rainfall climate (even in wet years!) so long as drainage is good. Cold hardy down to at least 25° F - undamaged at those temperatures experienced here in Santa Barbara during the January 2007 freeze with 3 nights in a row that dropped down to this temperature. This plant is a nice addition to any garden with its cheery winter flowers and has been a reliable plant in southern California gardens for many years.

Aloe dawei comes from the mountains of eastern and central Africa (Uganda, Congo, Rwanda) where it is found in grasslands and thickets from 2,500-5,000 feet in elevation. The German botanist Alwin Berger described this plant in 1906 without seeing it in habitat, naming it for Morley T. Dawe (1880-1943), Curator of the Botanical Garden at Entebbe, who sent him herbarium specimens, living plants and seed in 1905. There are several forms and hybrids about including Aloe dawei 'Yellow' with yellow flowers and hybrids such as the beautiful 'Jacob's Ladder', introduced by the Huntington Botanic Garden (ISI 2003-17), the exceptionally tall and reblooming 'David's Delight' and the late blooming dark red-orange flowering 'Conejo Flame'. We have sold this plant since 2011. 

The information about Aloe dawei displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.