Aloe ramosissima is a garden favourite in many rockeries due to its ability to withstand long spells of drought and its small tree-like appearance. The plants are very closely related to Aloe dichotoma but form a large bush instead of a tree.

The natural distribution of Aloe ramosissima is the very dry and hot areas of the northern Richtersveld and southern Namibia while the distribution of Aloe dichotoma is wider. In nature plants are found that appear to be intermediate between the two species.

The flowers are identical to those of Aloe dichotoma and appear from June to August.

The cultivation of Aloe ramosissima is quite easy as long as the plants are kept in well drained soil and not over watered. Like many other Aloes the plants are prone to get ugly cancerous growths.

Propagation is from seed although cuttings can also root at times.

Aloe castanea is found from Witbank northwards to Lydenburg in Mpumalanga and Pietersburg in the Northern Province. The Aloes become tree-like with age with several spreading branches.


The brownish-orange flowers appear in June to August. The inflorescences that spread in different directions have an untidy appearance , hence the common name Cat's-tail Aloe. This is a distinctive feature not shared by other Aloes. Additionally the brown nectar produced by the flowers is quite uncommon.

Aloe castanea is an easy plant to cultivate and can withstand frost and heat.


Aloe castanea, a large adult plant in the Karoo Botanical garden.


Aloe castanea younger plants in full flower.

Aloe castanea flowers. The brown nectar is easily visible.

Aloe lineata var. lineata is normally found in thick shrub where it occurs in the southern portions of the Eastern Cape Province from Grahamstown westwards.

The leaves are bluish with distinct reddish lines. The plants are stem forming with age and may reach a height of about 2 meters. The flowers appear in summer from January to March. The flower colour varies from light pink to red.

At times the plants hybridize with Aloe ferox  or other Aloes when their habitats overlap.


The cultivation of Aloe lineata var. lineata is quite easy, but the plants do not like severe frost.

Propagation is from seed.

Aloe lineata var. lineata from Alexandria.


Aloe lineata var. lineata flowers.

Aloe micracantha is the only gras Aloe that occurs naturally amongst fynbos vegetation. The distribution is in the Eastern Cape Province where the plants are found between Uniondale in the west and Grahamstown in the east.

The species name "micracantha" refers to the minute teeth on the margins of the leaves, although some other Aloes even have smaller teeth.

Aloe micracantha flowers from November to February and the flower colour is red, salmon-pink or orange.

The plants do not transplant well and should be grown from seed. Aloe micracantha prefers a well drained sandy soil.


Aloe micracantha in habitat.

Aloe falcata is closely related to Aloe claviflora. Aloe falcata has similar asymmetrical rosettes but the inflorescenses are branched and erect however and the growth habit differs in that the older plants do not die off in the middle of the clusters.

Aloe falcata grows in the sandy desert plains of the western parts of the Northern Cape extending southwards into the Western Cape up to Klawer.

The plants do not adapt well outside their natural habitat.

The flowers of Aloe falcata are usually red in colour but sometimes yellow.


Aloe falcata

Fresh seed of Aloe microstigma - spotted leaves Oudtshoorn available here:

Aloe microstigma is widely distributed in the semi-desert areas of the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces. There is some variation in the plants from different areas. The flowering time of Aloe microstigma is from May to July.

Aloe microstigma occasionally crosses with Aloe variegata or other Aloes when these are found in the vicinity.

The plants are easy to cultivate and the propagation is from seed.



Aloe microstigma from Oudtshoorn with red flowers.


Aloe microstigma from near Van Wyksdorp. The plants from this area have yellow flowers.



Aloe microstigma flowers close-up.

See also north of Swartberg form and Worcester form.

Aloe rupestris is a tall growing Aloe which naturally occurs in KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland and southern Mozambique.

The plants are often found in gardens and are easy to grow. Aloe rupestris is unfortunately very susceptible to infestation with white or brown scale insects.


Aloe rupestris in cultivation.


Aloe rupestris flowers.

Aloe variegata is endemic to the semi-desert areas of South Africa and southern Namibia. This attractive dwarf Aloe is also known as Partridge Breast Aloe, Kanniedood (Afr), Bontaalwyn (Afr.)and Tiger Aloe.

The plants flower in late winter to early spring.

Propagation is from seed or suckers that are formed freely near the base of the plant.

Although the habitat of Aloe variegata often overlaps with other members of the genus, hybrids in nature are not common. I have personally  seen hybrids  of Aloe variegata and Aloe microstigma .

Aloe variegata in cultivation.

Aloe striata ssp. striata is a very attractive medium sized Aloe. The plants occur widespread in the semi-desert regions of the Western and Eastern Cape.

The plants often grow in mountainous habitat, but also on the Karoo flats.

The cultivation is quite easy and propagation is from seed.


Aloe striata ssp. striata in natural habitat in the Little Karoo.

Aloe speciosa (speciosa means "showy") is exceptionally common in the south-western and south-eastern Cape in South Africa. It is a beautiful semi-desert Aloe and rewarding to grow as it is quite easy to cultivate.

The perianth of Aloe speciosa changes color from red to whitish green while maturing. The blackish-brown inner parts of the flower add to the striking color variation of the flowers.

The synonyms for Aloe speciosa include Tilt-head Aloe, (Afr: Slaphoringaalwyn, Spaansaalwyn).

The plants hydridize freely with other Aloes when sharing their habitat.

Seedlings form Aloe speciosa are available from Izimakana Industries.

Aloe speciosa in cultivation.





Aloe speciosa flowers.

Aloe kouebokkeveldensis is a recent discovery (2004) from the Kouebokkeveld region of the Western Cape in the Citrusdal district.

Aloe kouebokkeveldensis quite high up on mountain slopes amongst fynbos, a habitat usually not associated with Aloes.

Aloe kouebokkeveldensis in habitat.

Aloe pratensis is a small to medium sized Aloe. The plants are found growing in rocky outcroppings and grassland. Aloe pratensis flowers in habitat from June to October.

Distribution of Aloe pratensis is in the Eastern Cape,Transkei,Lesotho and Kwazulu-Natal

Aloe pratensis in habitat

Fresh seed of Aloe longistyla Calitzdorp available here:
 

Aloe longistyla is one of a number of a small desert Aloes (e.g.Aloe variegata ) and has striking large flower compared to the size of the plant. This species is native to the semi-desert areas of the Southern Karoo and South-eastern Cape.

Unlike other Aloes, Aloe longistyla is usually found growing scattered about and not in groups. This could perhaps be because of the relatively large papery "wings" on the seed, increasing travel distance when the wind blows

Aloe longistyla is difficult to cultivate when taken out of the wild.

Propagation is from seed. Suckers from cultivated plants can also be used.

Aloe longistyla flowering in habitat.

Aloe chlorantha is only known from the Fraserburg and Sutherland areas of the Great Karoo, where it grows on dry northern slopes of hillsides. The plants have small yellowish-green flowers. Aloe chlorantha shows some affinity with Aloe broomii and Aloe gariepensis.

Aloe chlorantha is a rare species and regarded as endangered. The flowering time of Aloe chlorantha is in October.

Aloe chlorantha in habitat near Frazerburg.

Aloe comptonii is an erect or semi-erect growing Aloe that prefers to grow on rocky utcroppings, on mountain slopes and hill sides. In nature, Aloe comptonii avoids the lower lying colder plains that are more susceptible to frost, although the plants are often found growing quite happily in lower lying gardens.

The flower colour varies from a dull red to a very attractive scarlet-red. Aloe comptonii is found from about Montaque in the west, right through the semi-desert Little Karoo, to Uniondale in the East. While young plants grow erect, older plants tend to develop a stem that creeps on the ground.

Aloe comptonii is quite easy to cultivate if conditions are similar to those of its natural environment. The plants do not like frost. This Aloe is well able to withstand the desert-like conditions of the Little Karoo. In gardens however, the plants do not seem to mind considerably larger amounts of water, as long as the plants are on a raised bed with good drainage.

In its natural habitat Aloe comptonii flowers from August to January. Some plants were found near Calitzdorp that had already set seed in October, while plants from south of Oudtshoorn, only some 50 km to the east, had not even started flowering yet.


Aloe comptonii merges into Aloe mitriformis at its western distribution range.

Aloe comptonii in habitat.

The following two photographs were taken in Cogmanskloof between Ashton and Montaqu.

Fresh seed of Aloe ferox Oudtshoorn Large growing available here:

Aloe ferox occurs widely in South Africa. Many plants grow up to 5 meters tall, but there is variablity in size over the distribution area of the plants. Aloe ferox prefers to grow in semi-desert or other relatively arid regions.

The flower colors are mainly bright red, orange and yellow, but occasionally white flowers are found. Flowering time is normally from May to August, but flowering of Aloe ferox occurs later in the northern parts of South Africa.

Cape Aloes is a product made from the leaf sap from Aloe ferox and has been used for over 200 years mainly as a purgative. Recently new applications have been introduced e.g. pain relieve in rheumatism and arthritis.

The habitat of Aloe ferox often overlaps with that of  Aloe speciosa  , the varieties Aloe lineata  and several others. Hybrids are common.

The propagations is from seed and the plants are easy to cultivate.


Aloe ferox in habitat near Klipplaat.


Aloe ferox in flower in the Seven Weeks Poort east of Ladismith.

Aloe pillansii or the Giant Quiver Tree (Reusekokerboom Afr.) as the plants are often referred to, is restricted to the very hot desert areas of the northern Richtersveld and southern Namibia.

Although Aloe pillansii resembles Aloe dichotoma in general appearance, it is a much larger tree Aloe and can grow to a height of over 10 meters.

The most significant difference between the two tree Aloes is that whereas A dichotoma has flowers that stand upright. the yellow flowers of Aloe pillansii bend down under the crown of leaves. Aloe pillansii is less branched then the other and the branches are erect.

Aloe pillansii is a rare species and regarded as endangered.

Aloe pillansii


Aloe pillansii


Aloe pillansii


Aloe pillansii is also known as Bastard Quiver Tree.

The propagation is from seed which is not readily available. The plants like hot and dry conditions with a well drained soil.

   


   


   

Aloe bowiea is in many respects unlike other Aloe species and it was previously known as Chamaealoe africana. The differences are not significant enough however to warrant a seperate genus.

It is a small Aloe plant, reaching a height of about 140 mm. Aloe bowiea has a very limited distribution in the vicinity of Port Elizabeth, and due to urban as well as industrial development, the numbers have dwindled considerably. The species is now regarded as endangered

The greenish-brown flowers are rather insignificant and small.

Aloe bowiea suckers from the base quite prolifically and is easy to cultivate.


Aloe bowiea

Aloe gariepensis is restricted to the very arid northern boundary of the Northern Cape. Although the distribution is limited, the plants occur in fairly large numbers and Aloe gariepensis is not threatened.

The flowering time is from July to September and the flowers are yellow, or sometimes bicoloured with red buds while the open flowers are yellow.

Aloe gariepensis is a difficult Aloe to cultivate and should be cultivated in desert conditions similar to its habitat.

Aloe gariepensis in habitat.

Aloe haemanthifolia is not a desert plant.

This rare and exotic Aloe is restricted to high mountain peaks in the area from Stellenbosch to Ceres. It is a critically rare species and almost impossible to cultivate.

The leaves resemble somewhat those of the popular bulb Haemanthus, hence the species name haemanthifolia. The flowering time is from September to December.

Aloe haemanthifolia in habitat.