Aloe aristata

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This section is dedicated toward maintaining one active thread for each Aloaceae species/subspecies/variety/cultivar. Please feel free to add information and/or photos to existing threads or start your own by adding Genus/species as the thread subject. Note that listings are displayed alphabetically. Enjoy!
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Geoff
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Aloe aristata

#1

Post by Geoff »

Aloe aristata CCSC.JPG
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Aloe aristata huge.jpg
Aloe aristata huge.jpg (139.66 KiB) Viewed 8315 times
This is a stemless, smaller, South African species with amazing cold hardiness (down to nearly 20F). It grows in the higher elevations where it often gets snowed on. However, it is a relatively delicate looking plant, and is prone to rot when overwatered, particularly in hot summers (which it detests anyway)... but its cold hardiness is amazing when you look at how wimpy an aloe it appears. It has numerous tiny speckles on the leaves and very closely spaced, tiny, comb-like teeth along the leaf margins (important characteristic to tell this plant from a common Gasteraloe often misidentified as this) and characteristic white 'hair-like' structure at the tip of each leaf (another identification key to tell this one from impostors). When exposed to drought and heat, tends to curl up into a ball. It is not a species that enjoys full sun, particularly if hot (often will kill it). Flowers on single so minimally branched inflorescences and are reddish-orange to pale pink-orange with pale yellow bellies as they age. Flowering times are variable with some flowering in spring and some in summers. I find this a difficult species in cultivation in Southern California due mostly to local extremes in temperature (high end mostly), and potted plants seem particularly prone to rot if watered the wrong time of year. My best luck with this plant has been to neglect it as much as possible and have 'nature' water it whenever.
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Geoff
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Re: Aloe aristata

#2

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Aloe aristatas.JPG
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Aloe aristata flower March.jpg
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southern California
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Geoff
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Re: Aloe aristata

#3

Post by Geoff »

Aloe aristatas LL.jpg
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plants in drought
Aloe aristatas LW.jpg
Aloe aristatas LW.jpg (212.91 KiB) Viewed 8315 times
Plants in winter rains

NOte: best NOT to water plants that look all curled up like this much… good way to rot these (VERY prone to rot, species). Wait until winter wakes them up and then they can tolerate a good deal of water again. These plants have exceptional cold tolerance- down to 20F so far.
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Geoff
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Re: Aloe aristata

#4

Post by Geoff »

Gasteraloe front steps large 2-07.jpg
Gasteraloe front steps large 2-07.jpg (179.03 KiB) Viewed 8325 times
Gasteraloe with a great deal of Aloe aristata in it... but not Aloe aristata.
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Geoff
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Re: Aloe aristata

#5

Post by Geoff »

Aloe aristata huge from DI shot 2.jpg
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Aloe aristata huge from DI.jpg
Aloe aristata huge from DI.jpg (147.1 KiB) Viewed 8316 times
smaller plant.. .this one only 8" diameter...
smaller plant.. .this one only 8" diameter...
Aloe aristata smaller from DI.jpg (99.4 KiB) Viewed 8316 times
Nice huge plants just acquired at a nursery last week... pot size is about 12" in diameter...
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Geoff
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Re: Aloe aristata

#6

Post by Geoff »

Aloe aristata clump huge Petra blooming Feb end.jpg
Aloe aristata clump huge Petra blooming Feb end.jpg (158.74 KiB) Viewed 8306 times
southern California clump, growing in pretty direct sunlight... flowering, too, in February
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Geoff
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Re: Aloe aristata

#7

Post by Geoff »

My plant went crazy this May and flowered all over the place
Aloe aristata in multiple floewr 5-14.jpg
Aloe aristata in multiple floewr 5-14.jpg (167.85 KiB) Viewed 8287 times
Aloe aristata multiple flowers 5-14.jpg
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mickthecactus
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Re: Aloe aristata

#8

Post by mickthecactus »

This is a nice miniature form.
7349D0B4-17C4-4AB8-BA90-E1B098A22BBE.jpeg
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Paul S
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Re: Aloe aristata

#9

Post by Paul S »

Me likie. Where did you get that, Mike?
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mickthecactus
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Re: Aloe aristata

#10

Post by mickthecactus »

An Aloe swap Paul.
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Paul S
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Re: Aloe aristata

#11

Post by Paul S »

ah, ok. Thanks.
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