Garden Aloes

Aloe spicata

Also Known As: Aloe sessiliflora, Bullocks Bottle-brush Aloe, Lemombo Aloe, Spike-flowered Aloe

Category: Single Head Stemless Aloes

USDA Hardiness Zones: 9b - 11

Overview

Aloe spicata is an impressive looking, fast-growing, plant with big graceful curving leaves. It's a South African native that grows on a trunk as a shrub to 4 to 6 feet tall and can be solitary but more often clusters. This sounds a lot like many other tree aloes, but Aloe spicata is branching which sets it apart.

Description

Aloe spicata has a few 3 foot wide, dense rosettes of long gracefully recurved and relatively narrow leaves that gradually taper to a point. The leaves of Aloe spicata are deeply guttered on the upper surface and are a bright green color attractively infused with orange-pink to red tones, particularly near the margins. Leaves often turn entirely coppery-red in dry conditions. Leaves are stiff, arching tapering and spineless. Margins are a deep pink to reddish color with spreading, horny, deltoid-cuspidate teeth 1-2(-4) mm long and 8–15 mm apart. The leaves are not nearly as long and tapering as in species like Aloe alooides and Aloe thraskii. A great looking aloe which is a must have for collectors looking for foliage color more than the modest flower color. Aloe spicata is well-known for its neat habit, and low-maintenance. Very similar to A. tauri (Zimbabwe) which grows a much shorter stem, also to A. castanea (South Africa) which can grow a taller stem.

Flowering

Aloe spicata flowers in late winter to early spring and are solitary, long, compact columnar racemes that cover about 70% of the length of the entire inflorescence. This Aloe may have up to five, one meter tall inflorescences per rosette. Aloe spicata is named after the shape of the inflorescence, which emerge as densely flowered spikes The flowers are brown-yellow and have a shaving brush appearance owing to the dense inflorescence and long stamens. The long unbranched racemes are covered with dense, sessile, yellow-green flowers which appear yellow-orange due to their bright orange prominent stamens. Flowers have a brownish nectar which attracts birds and insects. Multiple heads in bloom can be quite striking. The flowers open from the bottom up with a wave of orange exerted stamens and great quantities of sticky brownish nectar.

Origin / History

The native habitat of Aloe spicata is steep slopes from sea level to over one mile in altitude in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and the northeastern provinces of South Africa. It was originally described by Linnaeus in 1781 with the plants name referencing its spike-shaped inflorescence with sessile flowers. Other common names include Bullocks Bottle-brush Aloe, Lemombo aloe and Spike-flowered Aloe. The plant later described as Aloe sessiliflora is now considered to be a synonym. Aloe spicata has been used for medicinal purposes, chiefly as a purgative. Most often seen in botanical gardens under the synonym Aloe sessiliflora, this species was introduced in cultivation in 1795.

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Care / Cultivation

Aloe spicata is an easy and rewarding plant that usually does not give many problems in cultivation. Plant in full sun to light shade in a well-drained soil and irrigate only occasionally to infrequently; the drier it is kept the redder it will be. Aloe spicata is well-known for its neat habit, and low-maintenance. Growing Aloe spicata in a spot in full sun where water can be withheld after a good rooting in period, is ideal.

Frost Tenderness

Aloe spicata is hardy to light / moderate frost of about 25 F.

Use in the Garden

Very nice in medium to large sized succulent gardens. Also works well in hillside plantings and can be used as an informal hedge. Interesting when planted among flowing grasses. Low maintenance and low litter make it a nice plant near swimming pools, keeping in mind leaves have short teeth so it should be kept clear of foot traffic. This colorful foliage can provide striking seasonal interest in the garden. They make excellent subjects for close up photography, especially when that nectar reflects or transmits the light.

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Learn More

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

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