Aloe - Family: Aloaceae

Succulents have become the “retro” plant for gardening in South Africa due to their low maintenance and minimal water usage. We need hardened plants to survive this arid African landscape. We have over a 155 Aloe species and can be found in all kinds of vegetation.

The Aloe is the ideal plant for the winter garden especially as they brighten the landscape with their bright coloured flowers during this season. They have spiny leaves which are arranged in beautiful rosettes. The larger species make eye-catching statements in your garden with their diversity in shape, form, size and colours.

The Aloe flowers are tubular and generally grouped in a cone-shape. They come in bright hues of yellow, orange, red and pink. There are some species with green and white flowers. Flowering take place in the winter for most Aloes except for a few species like the grass Aloes.

The Aloe Arborescens/kratz Aloe is a spectacular plant to have in your winter garden with its bright red/yellow/orange coloured flowers. It is native to South Africa, is evergreen with low maintenance and a fast grower which can reach a height of up to 3 meters. It has succulent green leaves, bright coloured flowers which bloom in winter. The nectar of these flowers is sweet and attracts bees, birds, butterflies and insects. They thrive in the mountains and rocky areas.

All photos were taken with a Samsung Galaxy S7.

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