It is closely related to Cape Town's Aloiampelos commixta, but it is easily distinguished from it by the distinctive dark green stripes on the stems and leaf sheaths (its species name, striatula, means "little stripes"), and by its thin, recurved leaves (which, like its flowers, are more densely packed).

The leaves of Aloiampelos striatula are dark green and strongly recurved, with numerous small white teeth along their margins.

The unique variety caesia of this species - found only around Molteno in the Eastern Cape - has lighter grey-green leaves and bright yellow flowers.

[3] Aloiampelos striatula naturally occurs in the mountains of the Karoo region of South Africa, between the towns of Graaf-reinet and Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, extending into the Free State and Lesotho.

It will tolerate much colder temperatures than most aloes and relatives, including frost and even some light snow, but it prefers full sun and well-drained soil.