The large, bright red-to-old ivory, upright racemes on this sedentary (stemless), medium sized aloe hybrid make it one of the hot properties in the Sunbird Aloes line-up. Up to 4, branched inflorescences are produced in the winter months.
The plant has grey-ish green leaves lined with widely spaced, pale spines, some with dark tips. The leaves sometimes have a few isolated pale spots, more commonly found in younger plants. Stem shoots are very rare but the plant may divide its rosette upon maturity.
Desert dream may not be the easiest of container subjects (probably because it is not a very fast grower) but in open planting, given normal drainage, it is more than capable of taking care of itself. It certainly has an above average drought resistance. This means that, on the Gauteng highveld where it was bred, it is capable of surviving only on summer rain after it has been weaned off regular watering (see Aloe Care).
Updated 19 March 2020.