Aloe 'Hellskloof Bells'
Category: Red Aloes
USDA Hardiness Zones: 9b - 11
Overview
Aloe 'Hellskloof Bells' is an upright growing shrubby plant to about 2 feet tall with short lanceolate gray-green leaves that blush maroon in full sun and produce a capitate head of soft pastel orange flowers. It forms spectacular colonies of erect, columnar branches covered with red-blushed leaves.Description
Flowering
In the summer Aloe 'Hellskloof Bells' produce a capitate head of pendent (bell-like) tubular flowers that are pink in bud and open to a soft pastel orange.Origin / History
In the summer of 1991, Brian Kemble of the Ruth Bancroft Garden, created this uncommon hybrid of two species from South Africa's Mediterranean climate. The seed parent was the red-flowered form of A. pearsonii from an area called Helskloof in the mountainous Richtersveld of the Northern Cape province of South Africa, a species many find difficult to grow and flower. The pollen parent was the related A. distans, an easier species from the coast with more freely produced, larger heads of flowers. The cross made of these two geographically separated species resulted in a several similar hybrid plants that were distributed and this one was later named by John Trager at the Huntington Botanic Garden.
Care / Cultivation
Plant in full sun to light shade (best foliage color with brightest light) in a well-drained soil and irrigate only occasionally to infrequently.Frost Tenderness
Reported hardy to at least 20 F.Use in the Garden
This unique plant will make a nice addition in the garden planted in the ground or used as a potted specimen.
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