Sun, partial sun or shade. Nearly evergreen, growing as a rosette with fleshy, jazzily patterned leaves and sharp spines on the leaf margins. The foliage may melt in extreme freezes, but returns reliably and quickly from the roots. Flowering stalks appear year-round, even in winter, with coral-colored tubeflowers that attract wintering hummingbirds.
Soap aloe brightens up difficult locations in sun or shade and can easily be transplanted. As the name implies, the sap makes suds in water.
Expect some winter cleanup to remove pulp after freeze damage. Clumps expand fairly aggressively, especially if watered regularly. Note, the sharp spines make grooming and removing offsets a bit of a chore.
