I'd be more worried about humidity and excess moisture than cold. Plant Delights is growing it in 7B without problems, so it's likely to be fine in 9a. Keep it as dry as you can in extremes of temperature--both hot and cold.

Thanks hoovb! I'm glad to hear that it is cold hardy.
It does get extremely humid here. I have all my succulents planted in direct sun and with plenty of room so that helps them a little with the humidity. My soil is pure sand so it drains very well. I add a teeny bit of soil and grit for the cacti and succulents. I have several aloe vera, soap aloe and blue elf that have done well in the same spot for a few years now.
Rhonda

I got it through here in Texas 8a/8b. I killed one once during a wet cold front . It got down to 12F a week after it had rained hard. I do throw a towel over it when we get the big cold front. This year , I did not and it was fine. Drainage is key. I grow them in raised bds that I create by piling rocks to hold back a mound of dirt. These are small raised beds within a rock garden.

Wantonamara,
Thanks for the info. We had 2 nights of back-to-back hard freezes this winter and all my sucs survived. I got lucky :) I have my variegated planted in the little raised beds you described. I like the look of how they spill over the edge.
Thanks again,
Rhonda

If you succeeded with your variegata, this one will be a cinch. Aloe variegatas are very rot sensitive. Cold tolerant but not moisture in the mix.

YAY! I'm always nervous when I buy a plant because I like the looks even though I know nothing about it's needs. Thanks to you all, I am now confident that it will thrive in my garden. Thanks all!

This is a helpful link to check cold hardiness of aloe species.It is a good place to start , but don't hold it as gospel because conditions of soil and wetness and how long the cold spell is is all important factors.

http://www.smgrowers.com/info/brian_aloe.pdf

Thanks Wantonamara! That link is great. I saved it on my phone so when I'm tempted to buy aloes I can check for hardiness and growing conditions first.

Rhonda

Most of San Antonio is 9a but they think they are 8b. I think the urban heat bubble makes a huge difference. I am always amazed by the difference in what plants grow there and not here, 1.5 hours north of them. They have lots of aloes growing un aided during the winter. I can tell by the sizes of the patches. Even 30 miles to the east of me gets it darn close to 9a and I grew aloes for years in Austin easily but I struggle out here on my hill. I am 8b on the map but I think that I am on the border with 8a/b and in town Austin is closer to 9a.