This is the flowering last winter:
This is this season's spike. Notice the fasciated portion. It will be interesting to see how this flowers:
My mom got this years ago from Duke & Kaz Benadom, who own Superb Succulents in Simi Valley, California. Duke is a former President of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America. He created this hybrid from plants in his garden. Until this panicdemic year Duke & Kaz were fixtures at southern California succulent sales, and Duke always has lots of Aloe and other plants to sell. Duke is an author as well, publishing books of his own photos of award-winning succulents from plant shows, and collaborating with the late Loren Whitelock on the second edition of Loren's encyclopedic book on cycads. If you're interested in contacting them PM me. This plant was bought in a 3" / 7.5cm pot.
Aloe castanea and
Aloe marlothii are spectacular, sparsely branching or solitary tree aloes from the Republic of South Africa. Both are from hot, summer rainfall areas with cool but not freezing winters. Aloe castanea is somewhat frost sensitive, so it isn't grown in gardens much outside of coastal Southern California. Aloe marlothii tolerates a fair amount of overnight frost; it is hardy here in Phoenix most years, though it is damaged sometimes. Some authorities lump
Aloe ferox and Aloe candelabrum in with Aloe marlothii, but this is not universally accepted.
Most marlothiis in the US have pale yellowish flowers, much paler than the photo in the above link. This hybrid combines desirable qualities of both.