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Products > Aloe maculata 'Jack-O-Lantern'   Aloe maculata 'Jack-O-Lantern' - Orange Soap Aloe     [2nd Image] Habit and Cultural Information Category: Succulent Family: Aloeaceae (Aloes) Origin: South Africa (Africa) Evergreen: Yes Flower Color: Orange Bloomtime: Fall/Winter Synonyms: [Aloe saponaria] Height: 2-3 feet Width: 1-2 feet Exposure: Full Sun Summer Dry: Yes Deer Tolerant: Yes Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F Aloe maculata 'Jack-O-Latern' (Orange Soap Aloe) - A stemless plant that grows to 1 foot tall and 2 feet wide and suckers freely to form a good sized clump. The foliage is dark green at the tips with a reddish blush, while closer to the leaf base the color fades to a light green and is marked by faint white spots and the margins of the leaves are lined with brown teeth. The flowers on this selection are pumpkin orange instead of the more salmon-orange color of the typical form and tend to flower later so that flowers are present in late summer and fall - as with the typical form the flowers are held in capitate heads on a branched inflorescence over a long period. Plant in a well-drained soil in full sun where foliage color and flowering is best but grows well in part sun too. This drought tolerant plant needs little irrigation. Hardy to about 20 degrees F. The species was long called Aloe saponaria, a name based on the use of this plant for soap in its native South Africa. The current epithet 'maculata' meaning "spotted" is in reference to the white spots on the leaves. In "Aloes: The Definitive Guide" it is noted that the type locality of this wide-spread species is not known but it can be found growing in grasslands, scrub vegetation and rocky outcroppings from near the coast up into the Drakensberg Mountains from the Cape Peninsula east through the Cape Provinces into KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.  The information on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources as well as from observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in the nursery's garden and in other gardens that we have observed it in. We also will incorporate comments received from others and always appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have additional information, particularly if this information is contrary to what we have written or includes additional cultural tips that might aid others in growing Aloe maculata 'Jack-O-Lantern'.     [MORE INFO]