The tilt-head aloe is so named because of the way that its rosette tilts to one side, in the direction of the greatest sun.

It is a tall arborescent aloe species, with long, thin, drooping, pale blue-green leaves, that are densely clustered around its tilted rosette.

The Latin name "speciosa" means showy, and was actually given in reference to its ornamental flowers.

The species is also known as Aloe hexapetala - also in reference to its flowers ("hexa-petala" means "six-petaled").

It also occurs over a large part of the southern Eastern Cape province as far as the border of the Transkei, South Africa.