Garden Aloes

Aloe burgersfortensis

Also Known As: Burgersfort Aloe, Aloe parvibracteata

Category: Spotted Aloes

USDA Hardiness Zones: 9b - 10b

Overview

Aloe burgersfortensis is a typical maculate aloe usually solitary, but some specimens will occasionally form two or three heads from basal suckers. The spotted foliage is quite decorative and the flowers are said to be unusually attractive for this group of aloes.

Description

Aloe burgersfortensis is a very variable plant, though probably due mostly to different environmental conditions. Grows up to 20-40 cm tall excluding inflorescence. It has brownish leaves with dry twisted tips, branched inflorescence of dull red flowers with whitish bloom. Plants are generally stemless, but may in time develop a short, erect or creeping stem. The rosette is more or less compact with approximatively 10-15 decurved to spreading widely leaves giving the rosette a flattened appearance. The leaves are white spotted on a green-gray background, and the flowers are multicolored with mostly red tubes with white striping. In this species the leaf sap usually dries deep purple to violet, but exceptional specimens with sap drying golden yellow are known. Marginal teeth 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch long, semi-sharp, brown tipped. Individual leaves average 12 to 18 inches long, 1-1/2 to 3 inches broad toward the base, lanceolate-attenuate, but variable in shape and ranging from comparatively short, erect and triangular to fairly long and twisted, slightly channeled. The waxy leaves have sunken pores that prevent water loss.

Flowering

Aloe burgerfortensis features unusual, brightly colored, downward-angled, red-orange flowers in winter. Aloe burgersfortensis has multi-branched bracts, averaging 2' to 3' ft. tall. It has a four foot tall branched inflorescences of flowers supported on dark stems. Flowers are also attractive to hummingbirds.

Origin / History

Aloe Burgersfortensis was originally found near the town of Burgersfort, in Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. Described by Gilbert Westacott Reynolds in 1936.

Discover more South African Aloes

Care / Cultivation

Aloe Burgersfortensis likes good draining soil. Summer grower, moderate water in summer and keep drier in winter. Always use a good quality, loamy sandy soil with plenty of drainage with chips at the bottom of containers. Needs moderate to copious waterings in summer, but do not overwater, or not at all in the colder months of winter. Tends to get more dark maroon mosaic colored spots in the leaves if given brighter light or sun.

Frost Tenderness

When dry it can stand light frost but it is damaged in hard freezes, but recovers quickly. The leaf tips and blooms get damaged below -2°C (28°F).

Use in the Garden

In mild climates it can be cultivated outdoors for use in landscaping, it can be grown in large, rocky, well-drained soil in gardens in drier areas. This is a great plant for color, if you have a bright, sunny spot in an area that doesn't get too much water. It is easy to grow and adaptable, it suckers and can form dense groups. It can be grown in large containers. It is one of the redder aloes available. It makes an excellent ground cover and makes a long lasting cut flower.

Find more Aloes that can be used as a ground cover in your garden

Learn More

The information on this page about Aloe burgersfortensis has been gathered and summarized from the sources below. Visit these pages to learn more.

Aloe burgersfortensis for sale

Buy Aloe burgersfortensis for your garden.

Back to all Aloes