This beautiful robust stemless plant usually has a single rosette 3 feet tall with long broad silvery blue-green leaves with reddish teeth along the margins. In the summer the spectacular inflorescence branches near its base with each stem becoming a vertical spike rising well above the foliage and holding dark red to orange-red down-curved flowers that lie flat against the stems with the oldest flowers turning yellow at the tips starting from the bottom of the spike.

Young plants may produce only one raceme but older plants can produce multiple racemes, further enhancing a spectacular sight. This species is easily identified by its compact racemes of dark red flowers, with the tips of the flowers curving downwards towards the branch and pressed tightly against it.

This feature, together with very short pedicels, far exserted stamens and style, and the tendency to produce thorns on the lower leaf surface,  can often be confused with Aloe gerstneri and Aloe petricola.