Aloe ‘Crosby’s Prolific’

Succulent Garden, Flower Dome

As we gather to ring in the New Year, the night sky often fills with the glittering bursts of fireworks. But did you know you can have a tiny, living version of that celebration right in our garden? Aloe ‘Crosby’s Prolific’ is a stunning succulent plant that captures the joyful energy of the holiday countdown! 

This charming plant isn’t a wild species found in nature; it is the horticulturally-bred "child" of two distinct parents: Aloe humilis (the hedgehog aloe) and Aloe × nobilis (the gold-tooth aloe) It is important to note that Aloe × nobilis is itself an ancient hybrid, believed to be a cross between Aloe perfoliata and Aloe brevifolia.  

From the hedgehog aloe, Aloe ‘Crosby’s Prolific’ inherited a compact, manageable size and with prominent bumps (tubercles: small, wart-like bumps or swollen growths on stems or leaves) scattering on the leaves, creating an interesting texture, which is a fascinating trait for succulent hobbyists. From the gold-tooth aloe, it gained its robust nature and compact inflorescences with vivid orange-red flowers. This heritage makes it a "best-of-both-parents" plant for succulent plant enthusiasts. 

Visually, ‘Crosby’s Prolific’ is a showstopper. It grows in dense, miniature rosettes of deep green leaves. Each leaf is adorned with soft, translucent white teeth along the edges and small white bumps mainly on the lower surface, resembling tiny speckles of snow.

One of its most magical traits is its ability to “blush”. When exposed to bright sunlight and/or cooler winter temperatures, the deep green leaves transform into a rich, festive bronze-red. In addition, the name "Prolific" isn't just for show! This cultivar is famous for its incredible ability to produce ‘pups’ (plantlets). A single plant will quickly surround itself with a family of smaller rosettes growing from the base of the main rosette, creating a lush, crowded colony.

The highlight of this plant, however, is its bloom! Just as the fireworks are rocketing into the night sky while the clock strikes 12, in late winter to spring, Aloe ‘Crosby’s Prolific’ sends up tall, slender stalks topped with a raceme (a flower cluster, or inflorescence, with the separate flowers attached by short stalks at equal distances along the central stalk) straight into the sky! The tubular flowers are a brilliant, saturated orange-red and point outward and downward from the central stalk in a radial pattern, making the inflorescence looks remarkably like a firework mid-explosion. These "sparks" of orange provide a warm, joyful glow that perfectly matches the holiday spirit in this time of the year!

Come to Flower Dome and check out these tiny fireworks in Succulent Garden and have a Happy New Year!

This article is part of our What's Blooming series.