Three aloes recently added to my collection

Use this forum to discuss matters relating to Aloe, Gasteria, Haworthia and related species. This is where one posts unknown plant photos for ID help.

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toditd
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Three aloes recently added to my collection

#1

Post by toditd »

Here are three aloes I recently added to my meager, but growing, aloe collection.

Aloe aculeata.
This one initially cost me a bundle. When I got home I was questioning why my total purchase price was higher than I expected. A look at my receipt showed I was charged for "Euphorbia Trigona Ruby Red" at a much higher price than what was written on the pot. Hmm, now, I know I'm not an expert on euphorbias, but I'd like to think I know an aloe when I see one. So back to the store I go. Turns out the clerk mis-typed one digit from the hand-written SKU on the nursery pot. I was promptly issued an apology and a refund for the difference. The plant is an aloe, not a euphorbia, after all. (I knew that.)
Aloe aculeata
Aloe aculeata
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Aloe aculeata
Aloe aculeata
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Aloe aculeata
Aloe aculeata
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Aloe aculeata
Aloe aculeata
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Aloe 'Cynthia Giddy'.
This plant had a few broken leaf tips. And one more got broken on the trip home.
Aloe 'Cynthia Giddy'
Aloe 'Cynthia Giddy'
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Aloe 'Cynthia Giddy'
Aloe 'Cynthia Giddy'
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Aloe 'Cynthia Giddy'
Aloe 'Cynthia Giddy'
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Aloe striata hybrid.
This one was labeled "Aloe striata". But, as you can see from the photos, it has marginal teeth and so is not a true A. Striata. I'm guessing this is probably one of those A. striata x A. maculata hybrids sometimes labeled as "Ghost Aloe".
Aloe striata hybrid
Aloe striata hybrid
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Aloe striata hybrid
Aloe striata hybrid
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Aloe striata hybrid
Aloe striata hybrid
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Aloe striata hybrid
Aloe striata hybrid
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Azuleja
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#2

Post by Azuleja »

All beautiful, cold hardy choices!
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#3

Post by Geoff »

Aloe aculeata is a atypical in terms of spines, but sometimes that happens... will be interesting to see what sort of flower it puts out.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#4

Post by Viegener »

The aculeata spines don't look quite right to me. I found this useful comparison of Aloe marlothii, ferox & aculeata online once.
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Aloe marlothii, ferox & aculeata - compared.jpg
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#5

Post by toditd »

I've kinda wondered about the A. aculeata id on the plant in my post above, but I don't know how variable this plant can be due to genetic or environmental reasons.

The tubercles on my plant are not so much white, as is usually reported for A. aculeata, as they are a lightish green. Are the tubercles on A. aculeata always white?

On some photos I've seen of A. aculeata the density of spines on both leaf surfaces are somewhat the same. On my plant, the outer/underside of the leaves have many more spines than the inner/upper surfaces do, which range from 0 to only 3 spines on my plant.

In addition to A. marlothii and A. ferox, there's also A. peglerae which can be confused with A. aculeata. But the outer spines of A. peglerae seem to be located only on the center ridge of the leaf instead of in apparent random locations.

When I got the A. aculeata, the nursery pot it was in was maybe only half filled with soil and more than half the plant was sunken below the pot rim. It was nice to get it repotted so I could finally see the entire plant.

If it is not A. aculeata, that would not surprise me. It seems the majority of the plants I get have an identity crisis.

When it does bloom I'll be sure to post some photos.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#6

Post by Azuleja »

I would consider the leaves too narrow to be marlothii, so you can probably rule that out. I think spinage can be quite variable within seed groups. Was it among a larger group? My marlothii has hardly any spines but most of its other seedmates were heavily armored.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

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Post by toditd »

No, the A. aculeata was solo. It's the only one I've ever seen at the place I got it.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#8

Post by Steph115 »

That striata hybrid is gorgeous! Love that it kept the shape of striata with some added spines. Beautiful bluish color, too.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#9

Post by toditd »

Geoff wrote:Aloe aculeata is a atypical in terms of spines, but sometimes that happens... will be interesting to see what sort of flower it puts out.
I've just spied the very beginnings of a bloomstalk forming in the center of the rosette of my aloe that I purchased labeled as Aloe aculeata pictured in the first four photos of my OP. So it shouldn't be too much longer to see what sort of flower it has and get a better idea of its correct id.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#10

Post by Spination »

Looking forward to seeing it. :U
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#11

Post by toditd »

The inflorescence of this so called A. aculeata is emerging directly from the center of the rosette, next to the youngest
visible leaf, where I'd expect the next leaf to appear. In the handful of aloes species I've had bloom, this is the first
inflorescence that has emerged from the center. My other aloes have had their inflorescences emerge from between
older leaves further out on the rosette, not from the center. Is this "center inflorescence" uncommon in aloes?
Could it be a clue to species?

Here's a photo of it as of today, not much to see yet, just a little nub.
Aloe aculeata? bloomstalk forming - 20171119
Aloe aculeata? bloomstalk forming - 20171119
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#12

Post by Spination »

Not sure how common it is, but my Aloe lavranosii does the same thing.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#13

Post by Geoff »

Flower from center is 'normal' for Aloe aculeata.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#14

Post by toditd »

Aloe aculeata bloom progress…
Aloe aculeata - 20171201
Aloe aculeata - 20171201
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Aloe aculeata - 20171201
Aloe aculeata - 20171201
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#15

Post by toditd »

Aloe aculeata bloom progress...
That which started out mostly yellow, has now changed to mostly green.
Aloe aculeata - 20171210
Aloe aculeata - 20171210
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Aloe aculeata - 20171210
Aloe aculeata - 20171210
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#16

Post by toditd »

Aloe aculeata bloom progress... It's not quite as green, a little more yellowish, than previous progress photo.
Aloe aculeata - 20171222
Aloe aculeata - 20171222
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#17

Post by toditd »

Geoff wrote:Aloe aculeata is a atypical in terms of spines, but sometimes that happens... will be interesting to see what sort of flower it puts out.
Another Aloe aculeata bloom progress report.

Although a little yellower, this is a darn good match to some of the yellowish-green forms in the A. aculeata gallery, especially the photos in post #6, including the dried "top knot", the reddening of the upper-most flowers of the raceme, and the stamen/pistil colors.
Aloe aculeata - 20180114
Aloe aculeata - 20180114
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Aloe aculeata - 20180114
Aloe aculeata - 20180114
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Aloe aculeata - 20180114
Aloe aculeata - 20180114
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Aloe aculeata - 20180114
Aloe aculeata - 20180114
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Aloe aculeata - 20180114
Aloe aculeata - 20180114
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#18

Post by Spination »

Great photos. :U
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#19

Post by toditd »

Thanks, Spination. I was waiting all day for the sun to be in the right position for the photos, then I got distracted and almost missed it.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#20

Post by Azuleja »

Great job, that last photo is just perfect.
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Re: Three aloes recently added to my collection

#21

Post by toditd »

Thanks, Azuleja. Since that post was about comparing the flowers, I almost didn't include that last photo, but threw it in at the last minute as a visual of the entire plant.

I was surprised by the change of coloration of the flowers as the bloom progressed. From yellow to green to light green, back to yellow, and then yellow flushed with red and orange. Quite interesting.
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