Aloe africana

Aloe africana or African Aloe is an evergreen perennial. It is native to South Africa. Aloe africana is part of the Asphodelaceae family of plants. It is a slow grower and does not flower until it is 4 or 5 years old.  They also call it Uitenhage Aloe. Aloe africana flowers between July to September which in the southern hemisphere it is winter.

It grows to 2m or 6ft. In its native habitat, it might grow to 4m or 13ft. It usually has dried leaves around the bottom. The leaves grow in a dense apical rosette. The leaves are lanceolate and can be as long as 65cm or 26in long.

Aloe africana has yellow out-curved tubular flowers. They grow on racemes. Racemes are usually unbranched. It produces winged seeds in capsules which get spread by the wind.

It is a succulent plant and is drought-tolerant. It is also wind-tolerant, and water-tolerant. You should not plant them deeply, and they do like the wind so it makes it ideal for coastal gardens.

How to grow Aloe africana:

Grow Aloe africana in the sun. It tolerates the wind and does well in coastal gardens. Plant it in any type of soil. It will benefit from fertilizers. It does not tolerate frost but it will withstand light frost. It is pest-free. Watch out for snout weevil, fungal infection, or rot. Propagate Aloe africana from seed. The seeds germinate in three weeks. Plant the seeds in sandy, well-drained soil in a warm and shady location.

Also read about Aloe ‘Blue Elf’.