Aloes

[4pygmies]

I give them a very good home dear........ ;D

That's an amazing site isn't it? Now there is a man obsessed...

I have always liked the Aloe plicatilis from South Africa - they are beautiful...I know I shall never have one. Gorgeous plants especially when really big and gnarled (I do like big and gnarled things.... ;D)

[chickadeedeedee]

That is a great site! Hmmmm. Sooooooooo many potential victims from which to choose!

[mickthecactus]

4pygmies said:

I give them a very good home dear........ ;D

That's an amazing site isn't it? Now there is a man obsessed...

I have always liked the Aloe plicatilis from South Africa - they are beautiful...I know I shall never have one. Gorgeous plants especially when really big and gnarled (I do like big and gnarled things.... ;D)

Why not? Have a go from seed next year. I can get you some or I can find a plant for you. It really is very elegant.

[mickthecactus]

chickadeedeedee said:

That is a great site! Hmmmm. Sooooooooo many potential victims from which to choose!

Be positive C3D. Together we can win.........

[mickthecactus]

A. parvula is a little beauty. Purply blue leaves with sort pink teeth. I have a few seedlings of this available next spring. I got this one from Kew. from Madagascar so needs extar warmth.

A. broomii - this is one of the spikier ones. Handsome but the Fotki picture has somewhat small spikes. Mine are a lot bigger. This one came from a garden centre!

A. melanacantha - another spiky one with spines that turn black. Very good looking with age (a bit like me). Seedlings from this years sowing.

A. erinacea - an absolute beauty but very slow growing. I bought this from a nursery this year. One of the guys at Oxford show has a plant that needs 2 of them to lift. I rate it as one of the best plants I've ever seen.

[4pygmies]

mickthecactus said:

4pygmies said:

I give them a very good home dear........ ;D

That's an amazing site isn't it? Now there is a man obsessed...

I have always liked the Aloe plicatilis from South Africa - they are beautiful...I know I shall never have one. Gorgeous plants especially when really big and gnarled (I do like big and gnarled things.... ;D)

Why not? Have a go from seed next year. I can get you some or I can find a plant for you. It really is very elegant.

I don't quite know why but I think I've always assumed they would be very difficult to grow from seed....could I really grow Aloe. plicatilis from seed, do you think? What about the temperature required and light - I don't have an electric propagator...


Did I mention that a friend of mine has been asked if she wants a very small GH for a few quid - she doesn't but I'm seriously thinking about getting it for a proper place to grow all this stuff...I am soo tempted but I've got to sweet talk OH into helping me....

[mickthecactus]

4pygmies said:

mickthecactus said:

Why not? Have a go from seed next year. I can get you some or I can find a plant for you. It really is very elegant.

I don't quite know why but I think I've always assumed they would be very difficult to grow from seed....could I really grow Aloe. plicatilis from seed, do you think? What about the temperature required and light - I don't have an electric propagator...


Did I mention that a friend of mine has been asked if she wants a very small GH for a few quid - she doesn't but I'm seriously thinking about getting it for a proper place to grow all this stuff...I am soo tempted but I've got to sweet talk OH into helping me....

Why don't you get a plant then? I'll source one for you.

[4pygmies]

mickthecactus said:

4pygmies said:

I don't quite know why but I think I've always assumed they would be very difficult to grow from seed....could I really grow Aloe. plicatilis from seed, do you think? What about the temperature required and light - I don't have an electric propagator...


Did I mention that a friend of mine has been asked if she wants a very small GH for a few quid - she doesn't but I'm seriously thinking about getting it for a proper place to grow all this stuff...I am soo tempted but I've got to sweet talk OH into helping me....

Why don't you get a plant then? I'll source one for you.

Oh go on then...thanks Mick!

[mickthecactus]

Incidentally, if anubody wants me to source any plants or seeds of anything cactus/succulent just let me know.

[chickadeedeedee]

mickthecactus said:

chickadeedeedee said:

That is a great site! Hmmmm. Sooooooooo many potential victims from which to choose!

Be positive C3D. Together we can win.........

I bought a vict ... errr ... Aloe vera today. The poor thing. It looks so happy.

[mickthecactus]

chickadeedeedee said:

mickthecactus said:

Be positive C3D. Together we can win.........

I bought a vict ... errr ... Aloe vera today. The poor thing. It looks so happy.

Don't overwater it, make sure it has dried right out before you water it again. No more water after this month until March. Keep it in a bright position and not too warm. No more than 50f and it will be quite happy at 40f.

And keep your fingers crossed.

[chickadeedeedee]

mickthecactus said:

chickadeedeedee said:

I bought a vict ... errr ... Aloe vera today. The poor thing. It looks so happy.

Don't overwater it, make sure it has dried right out before you water it again. No more water after this month until March. Keep it in a bright position and not too warm. No more than 50f and it will be quite happy at 40f.

And keep your fingers crossed.

Thank you kind Sir. Will do.

[bogmyrtle]

chickadeedeedee said:

mickthecactus said:

Be positive C3D. Together we can win.........

I bought a vict ... errr ... Aloe vera today. The poor thing. It looks so happy.

I thought I was the only one who made the plants quiver and shout 'please don't buy me!' when I went near! Hubby has brought home two poorly plants from his work, one I think is an aloe (other - rubber plant which had only 3 leaves).

Nice to meet you by the way

Myrtle

[Sweetleaf]

mickthecactus said:

4pygmies said:

All the Aloes Mick has mentioned above are viewable, alphabetically, on the link below - and just about every other Aloe in existence I think...

public.fotki.com/Grootscholten/aloe_prive_coll/



I didn't realise how many there were Mick - they are wonderful aren't they? I LOVE the Aloe polyphylla...oooh, I want some of these.....

Good link 4P. Hadn't come across that.

I will have some spares next year. A. parvula, melanacantha for starters.

Thats a really spikey one Mick, can I put my name down for one of those please? (I shall have to find some way of paying you back for these plants you know it seems very one-sided to me.)

[chickadeedeedee]

bogmyrtle said:

chickadeedeedee said:

I bought a vict ... errr ... Aloe vera today. The poor thing. It looks so happy.

I thought I was the only one who made the plants quiver and shout 'please don't buy me!' when I went near! Hubby has brought home two poorly plants from his work, one I think is an aloe (other - rubber plant which had only 3 leaves).

Nice to meet you by the way

Myrtle

Nice to meet you too, Myrtle. My hubby brings home "cool looking" plants too. Sometimes we have no idea what they are or how to care for them. But if it happens to be an Aloe ... well we've just added to the compost bin haven't we? The death of the Aloe(s) shall bring forth new life to a non-Aloe in the future. LOL! (kinda)

My Aloe is still alive. Probably doesn't realize where he is yet.

[mickthecactus]

chickadeedeedee said:

mickthecactus said:

Don't overwater it, make sure it has dried right out before you water it again. No more water after this month until March. Keep it in a bright position and not too warm. No more than 50f and it will be quite happy at 40f.

And keep your fingers crossed.

Thank you kind Sir. Will do.

My pleasure. Let me know how it gets on.

[mickthecactus]

sweetleaf2 said:

mickthecactus said:

Good link 4P. Hadn't come across that.

I will have some spares next year. A. parvula, melanacantha for starters.

Thats a really spikey one Mick, can I put my name down for one of those please? (I shall have to find some way of paying you back for these plants you know it seems very one-sided to me.)

Sorry SL. Which one? Or both? I will definitely have parvula but the melanacantha are rather small so may be later in the year when they've grown a bit.

Payment? I'm sure we'll think of something.......

[Sweetleaf]

mickthecactus said:

sweetleaf2 said:

Thats a really spikey one Mick, can I put my name down for one of those please? (I shall have to find some way of paying you back for these plants you know it seems very one-sided to me.)

Sorry SL. Which one? Or both? I will definitely have parvula but the melanacantha are rather small so may be later in the year when they've grown a bit.

Payment? I'm sure we'll think of something.......

I was looking at the Parvula Mick. We can negotiate separately for the Melanacantha ;D

[mickthecactus]

sweetleaf2 said:

mickthecactus said:

Sorry SL. Which one? Or both? I will definitely have parvula but the melanacantha are rather small so may be later in the year when they've grown a bit.

Payment? I'm sure we'll think of something.......

I was looking at the Parvula Mick. We can negotiate separately for the Melanacantha ;D

Actually parvula isn't spiky - they are very soft bristles. It's a really lovely plant, one of my favourites.

[Sweetleaf]

mickthecactus said:

sweetleaf2 said:

I was looking at the Parvula Mick. We can negotiate separately for the Melanacantha ;D

Actually parvula isn't spiky - they are very soft bristles. It's a really lovely plant, one of my favourites.

Even better then, it just looks very spiky, that should keep little hands away.

[mickthecactus]

Aloe brandraaiensis - this is 2006 seedling and has beautifully marked slender leaves. Looks very promising.

Aloe bulbillifera - this is anotehr from Madagascar and is a cutting I got from Kew in the spring. Unique amongst Aloes because it produces tiny plants on the flower stem - hence the name. Too small to flower yet.

Aloe claviflora - SL has one of these. Apparently rare in the UK and not easy (the plant that is, not SL). Has lovely chunky pale blue leaves. I have 2 seedlings from different seed batches and one plant is twice the size of the other.

Aloe arenicola - a very different Aloe with nicely marked leaves but looks as if it should creep along the ground rooting as it goes (don't know if it does). There is an excellent pictureon the Google site of it being grown as a sort of bonsai.

[Sweetleaf]

My Aloe Claviflora has been no trouble Mick It has grown a fair bit since I got it, but is healthy and happy so far.

[Sweetleaf]

mickthecactus said:

Aloe arenicola - a very different Aloe with nicely marked leaves but looks as if it should creep along the ground rooting as it goes (don't know if it does). There is an excellent pictureon the Google site of it being grown as a sort of bonsai.

Looks like it does from the pics on this site Mick.

www.succulents.co.za/aloes/creeping-aloes/aloe-arenicola.php

[mickthecactus]

sweetleaf2 said:

mickthecactus said:

Aloe arenicola - a very different Aloe with nicely marked leaves but looks as if it should creep along the ground rooting as it goes (don't know if it does). There is an excellent pictureon the Google site of it being grown as a sort of bonsai.

Looks like it does from the pics on this site Mick.

www.succulents.co.za/aloes/creeping-aloes/aloe-
arenicola.php

It looks a lot nicer in cultivation than it does in the habitat picture.
Whether it actually does root as it goes or whether it just comes from a central root I don't know.

[mickthecactus]

4P, you wanted Aloe plicatilis.

Here's a couple of nurseries who stock it:-

www.croston-cactus.co.uk
www.hollygatecactus.co.uk