unusual aloe indeed... last aloe that looked like that (at the Huntington) was a hybrid between Aloe marlothii and Aloe capitata. Flowers certainly atypical for a non-trunking aloe... looks like a pale Aloe thraskii inflorescence, but the aloe itself looks more like some Aloe ferox and marlothii species... hence, my guess at a hybrid.. striking plant!

It may be sunburn, but if it is slightly shady, it should be okay. Is it getting too much water? Mine turn a brownish color if they start rotting. Was it mushy brown inside? That's rot. Maja127, aloes have a root system. You can propagate with cuttings or seed. They will flower if they get enough sun and a cold period. Your cold may be too cold though. Mine have survived two freezes, but they were brief and mild - as in literally only 32oF and only for a short time. Mine flowered for the first time this year after allowing it to remain in the elements. You need free draining soil whether in pot or in the ground. I use the national brand cactus and succulent soil with a lot more aggregate added. You can use pea pebbles or unpainted fishtank pebbles. I use this stuff called OilDri from Sam's Club. You can also used sifted, washed decomposing granite. If you put in ground, I would dig a hole that is three times as deep and wide as what you are putting in and back fill with your soil mixture. I don't think you have the harsh clay there that we have here in Houston. You should be fine with this. To separate,just take out of the pot, wash off all of the soil, and find where the pups are shooting off the main plant. You should see very definite rosettes of stalks so that you'll know where to cut. Use a clean, sterilized knife to cut straight through the plant making sure that you keep roots with each cutting. At this point you can plant them in the soil, but don't water. Wait a week or so before you do so. I personally leave mine sitting in the shade for a week before I replant. They hold enough water to survive a VERY LONG time without water. When Rita came through in September of 05, I put mine in a garage and forgot about it until April of 06. I put it out and left it alone. I gave it one drink and let mother nature do the rest. It looked pitiful! It's the same one that flowered this spring for me! Anyway, I leave it out so the cut wound can callous (standard procedure for all succulent cuttings). I then put it in slightly damp soil and wait another week before I start watering. If you get a lot of rain during any period of time, I would move it to where you control the water. Good luck. I started with just a few, but it soon turned into a major obsession. I have succulents and cactus all over the place now!

Jeffery, I'm by no means gifted with portland. But I made some decent looking steps in a pathway for a customer one time. The gravel or rock was added to the portland and poured into the frame. It was leveled with a wet one by. Once it was almost dry/set, It was wet down with a light spray from a hose and lightly brushed with a soft bristled broom. Then lightly wet (almost misted) again to take most of the fine bristle strokes out of the portland allowing the rock to be exposed nicely in the design. I would recommend doing a very small batch to see how it looks if you are tempted to try this method. randy

I must say that I didn't do a good job in visual comparison. The lady I traded with wanted a variegated American agave pup and stated that in return she would give me a purple-ish aloe that she didn't know its name. This is a picture of the grown pup that Crenda sent me maybe a year ago in full sun with once a week watering. I guess I see similarities, but is it the same aloe, I don't know :)