Aloe aristata
Lace aloe
Family AsphodelaceaeAlso called Guinea-fowl aloe
About
The lace aloe, now usually placed as Aristaloe aristata (the only species of its genus), is a small stemless succulent from South Africa and Lesotho, widely grown in gardens.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Temperature
- Tolerates brief cold to about −7 °C (19 °F).
- Soil
- Well-drained soil.
- Propagation
- Produces many offsets that can be separated and replanted.
- Hardiness
- Hardy to around −7 °C; grow indoors or under glass in very cold regions.
Field notes
Morphology
Forms dense, overlapping rosettes of soft, lance-shaped leaves with bristly edges and a long thread-like tip. Tubular orange flowers are rich in nectar. Out of flower it is easily mistaken for Haworthiopsis fasciata.
Distribution & habitat
From the Karoo in the Northern and Eastern Cape east through the Free State and Lesotho to the edge of KwaZulu-Natal, in habitats ranging from dry sandy Karoo to cold mountain grassland and shaded valleys.
Ecology
Its flowers attract birds, bees and wasps.
Cultivation notes
Grown worldwide as a garden plant. Prefers well-drained soil and tolerates about −7 °C thanks to its mountain origins, though very cold climates call for indoor or glasshouse culture. It clumps freely, and offsets are easily separated. Holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
History & etymology
Described by Adrian Hardy Haworth. Locally called serelei (Sesotho, "slippery one") and langnaaldaalwyn (Afrikaans, "long-spined aloe"); aristata refers to the bristle-tipped leaves.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- South Africa, Lesotho
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Temperature
- Tolerates brief cold to about −7 °C (19 °F).
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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