Aloe affinis
Category: Spotted Aloes
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9b - 11
Overview
It is a stemless or short-stemmed solitary Aloe from South Africa that grows to about 3 feet tall with pink-red flowers in winter.Description
This Aloe is stemless or has a short stem, and more or less spotted yellowish green leaves with brownish or whitish lines on the upper surface parallel to the axis of the leaf and yellow to light brown teeth on the margins. The leaves tend to be broad. The leaves have some mild linear flecking of white and sharp but small spines along the edges. The apex of a leaf often has a pinkish tinge. The lower surface of the leaf is paler and lightly marked. During dry periods the leaf has a twisted dry apex. This aloe is often grouped into the 'maculate' or spotted aloes all stemless, heavily spotted, often suckering plants with open red to orange to yellow inflorescences. The plant is one meter in height. Teeth along the leaf margins are very sharp.
Flowering
Each rosette can produce several branched inflorescences. The inflorescence is a compactly-branched panicle with ten racemes. Lateral racemes are shorter than the terminating racemes, they are densely flowered and are a deep pink or brick-red in color.Origin / History
The name 'affinis', meaning 'related to' or 'resembling' comes from this plant's relationship to other maculate or spotted aloes, although A. affinis has larger leaves, is unspotted and, unlike much of this group, remains mostly solitary. This aloe is found amongst bushes, grassy slopes, open areas, rocky sandstone, quartzite patches in the summer rainfall areas of the eastern Transvaal (Swaiziland north to Marieps Mountain) where it grows with shrubs and grasses on rocky slopes between 3000-4000 feet where it experiences moderate to warm summer temperatures and light frosts in winter.
Care / Cultivation
Plant in full coastal sun or light shade. Has proven fairly drought resistant even in summer dry gardens but looks best when irrigated in summer.Frost Tenderness
It is drought and frost resistant to 22 F. but requires sun.Use in the Garden
It attracts birds and butterflies.Learn More
The information on this page about Aloe affinis has been gathered and summarized from the sources below. Visit these pages to learn more.
- https://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?strSearchText=Aloe&plant_id=2929&page=
- https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/62452/
- https://www.agaveville.org/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=560
- https://www.succulents.co.za/aloes/aloe_affinis.shtml
- http://growwild.co.za/trees/aloe-affinis
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