Also known as the bitter aloe, Aloe ferox is an arborescent species belonging to the Asphodelaceae family. It is indigenous to southern Africa, occurring naturally in the Western and Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the southern Free State and Lesotho, and is most abundant in the Eastern Cape. The name “ferox”, Latin for “fierce”, refers to the large, spiny leaves.

This single-stemmed plant grows to an average height of 2 to 3 m and forms a dense rosette of large, fleshy leaves. The leaves are thick and dull green, with reddish-brown spines along the margins and, on many plants, smaller spines across the leaf surfaces. From May to August, yellow-orange to bright red flowers appear on a multi-branched inflorescence that rises 0.5 to 1.2 m above the leaves, bearing tightly packed, upright conical racemes. The flowers are rich in nectar and attract birds, insects, baboons and monkeys.

A. ferox is a low-maintenance plant that requires only low to moderate watering, making it ideal for a water-wise garden. It also tolerates light frost. Planted on a rockery, it creates a striking focal point. Its tolerance of wind makes the bitter aloe well suited to coastal gardens.

Aloe ferox has long been used in South African traditional medicine, including for arthritis, conjunctivitis, eczema, hypertension, stress and venereal sores. Its leaf gel is also widely used in skin-care products around the world.