Aloe marlothii
Mountain aloe
Family AsphodelaceaeAlso called Flat-flowered aloe
About
Aloe marlothii, the mountain aloe, is a large single-stemmed aloe of rocky and open country in southern Africa, sometimes reaching 6 m.
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.
- Mature size
- Single stem, occasionally to 6 m tall.
Field notes
Morphology
A massive head of stiff grey-green leaves up to 1.8 m long and 30 cm wide, spiny especially on the lower face. Young plants are spinier than tall ones. The trunk is clad in old dead leaves. The branched panicle has up to 30 or more racemes, usually orange but ranging from yellow to red.
Distribution & habitat
From Johannesburg’s Klipriviersberg through eastern Botswana and the Soutpansberg to Zimbabwe and Malawi, and east through Eswatini and Mozambique to the coast; commonest in mountains.
History & etymology
Named after the botanist Rudolf Marloth. It grades into Aloe spectabilis and hybridises naturally with many other aloes.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Eswatini, Mozambique
- IUCN status
- Least concern
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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