Aloes

[mickthecactus]

Aloe amudatensis - this was another cutting from Kew but I have struggled to get it going so far. Found in Uganda and has beautifully marked leaves.

Aloe boylei - this is a South African grass Aloe, so called because the leaves resemble grass and are not easy to see. In habitat the top growth get burnt off in grass fires but it shoots again next rainy season. In the UK the leaves should die down in winter. Hardly spectacular but difficult to grow.

Aloe chortolirioides - another grass Aloe.

Aloe descoignsii - a tiny Madagascan Aloe, again with lovely markings on its leaves. I find this one difficult to grow and am on my second plant.

[4pygmies]

mickthecactus said:

4P, you wanted Aloe plicatilis.

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

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

Thanks Mick. I am slightly puzzled by how you sort out the prices from the first link but I'm sure I'll work it out eventually! ;D This may be my birthday present to myself this year (and a bodhran, but that's another story)

[mickthecactus]

4pygmies said:

mickthecactus said:

4P, you wanted Aloe plicatilis.

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

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

Thanks Mick. I am slightly puzzled by how you sort out the prices from the first link but I'm sure I'll work it out eventually! ;D This may be my birthday present to myself this year (and a bodhran, but that's another story)

£4 for the smaller one, £6 for the bigger one.

Croston quality very high, Hollygate less so but much cheaper (and probably much smaller).

[mickthecactus]

There are some beautiful aloes on this site:-

danielscactus.hypermart.net/aloe.html

Have a look at some of the other categories as well.

From this I now know that my unknown Aloe liberated from Spain
is A. juvenna.

[Sweetleaf]

mickthecactus said:

There are some beautiful aloes on this site:-

danielscactus.hypermart.net/aloe.html

Have a look at some of the other categories as well.

From this I now know that my unknown Aloe liberated from Spain
is A. juvenna.

Cor! Id love to own many of those, particularly the Polyphylla, Aculeata, Broomii ,and Crosbys Prolific.... theres a pattern there if anyones paying attention. ;D

[mickthecactus]

I shall resume my discourse on Aloes next week.

[bogmyrtle]

OK some photographs for id and help mickthecactus!

This is one we were given as a tiny plant, now with a plantlet of its own - why are the ends of the leaves going brown?





These are photographs of the plant hubby rescued - it was growing in this shape but was 'greyish', it has 'fleshed out' and grown a couple of tiny new leaves





Any advice is needed and welcomed. Many thanks!

[mickthecactus]

Myrt, I don't know the variety of the top 2 but they look as if they have been a bit overwatered which might account for the brown tips. Also, may need more light. Try to keep them in the brightest coolest spot you can and just a little water once a month until March.

The bottom 2 are Aloe variegata and they can get like this as they get older. Same requirements as above. In spring you can cut the stem off and reroot it. The lower stem should then sprout.

[bogmyrtle]

mickthecactus said:

Myrt, I don't know the variety of the top 2 but they look as if they have been a bit overwatered which might account for the brown tips. Also, may need more light. Try to keep them in the brightest coolest spot you can and just a little water once a month until March.

The bottom 2 are Aloe variegata and they can get like this as they get older. Same requirements as above. In spring you can cut the stem off and reroot it. The lower stem should then sprout.

Thank you will follow your instructions.

They are in the conservatory which is heated but only as a background heat to take the chill off, will they be ok for the winter in there?

[mickthecactus]

bogmyrtle said:

mickthecactus said:

Myrt, I don't know the variety of the top 2 but they look as if they have been a bit overwatered which might account for the brown tips. Also, may need more light. Try to keep them in the brightest coolest spot you can and just a little water once a month until March.

The bottom 2 are Aloe variegata and they can get like this as they get older. Same requirements as above. In spring you can cut the stem off and reroot it. The lower stem should then sprout.

Thank you will follow your instructions.

They are in the conservatory which is heated but only as a background heat to take the chill off, will they be ok for the winter in there?

They should be fine in there. Sounds ideal.

[chickadeedeedee]

Oooooooo! I have a Aloe variegata and didn't even know it! I haven't killed it for 15 years or so either! ;D

Mine looks the same as well. How far up the stem can I / shoud I cut to get him to root? Seems if I cut the stem it would be not only still be crooked but maybe face-down in the pot? Would the stem grow new roots if laid on the side?

Thanks Mr. C.

[mickthecactus]

chickadeedeedee said:

Oooooooo! I have a Aloe variegata and didn't even know it! I haven't killed it for 15 years or so either! ;D

Mine looks the same as well. How far up the stem can I / shoud I cut to get him to root? Seems if I cut the stem it would be not only still be crooked but maybe face-down in the pot? Would the stem grow new roots if laid on the side?

Thanks Mr. C.

Hello my little Chickadee. How's the weather?

You can cut where you like on the stem (within reason) then just stand it up inside an empty pot and it will send out roots and you can then repot (the new roots come out thick and yellow so they are easy to see). If you leave the stump it should end out new shoots which you can take off and root in time if you wish.

I have even rooted them in the garden border in summer. Just stick it in the earth, leave it then take it up in autumn (fall for you!).

[chickadeedeedee]

mickthecactus said:

chickadeedeedee said:

Oooooooo! I have a Aloe variegata and didn't even know it! I haven't killed it for 15 years or so either! ;D

Mine looks the same as well. How far up the stem can I / shoud I cut to get him to root? Seems if I cut the stem it would be not only still be crooked but maybe face-down in the pot? Would the stem grow new roots if laid on the side?

Thanks Mr. C.

Hello my little Chickadee. How's the weather?

You can cut where you like on the stem (within reason) then just stand it up inside an empty pot and it will send out roots and you can then repot (the new roots come out thick and yellow so they are easy to see). If you leave the stump it should end out new shoots which you can take off and root in time if you wish.

I have even rooted them in the garden border in summer. Just stick it in the earth, leave it then take it up in autumn (fall for you!).

Ahhh! Thanks so much, Mr. C! My wee Chickadee brain understands now! LOL! There's hope for me yet, ehh, especially so easrly in the morning. It's about 8:20 here with sunny~ish skies and just above freezing. S-N-O-W and freezing rain for later this afternoon and into tomorrow,

Maybe if Photobucket will let me, I'll post some photos of a "Please ID Me" kind later?

Thanks again. Kindest regards to you and your Cactus family.

[mickthecactus]

chickadeedeedee said:

mickthecactus said:

Hello my little Chickadee. How's the weather?

You can cut where you like on the stem (within reason) then just stand it up inside an empty pot and it will send out roots and you can then repot (the new roots come out thick and yellow so they are easy to see). If you leave the stump it should end out new shoots which you can take off and root in time if you wish.

I have even rooted them in the garden border in summer. Just stick it in the earth, leave it then take it up in autumn (fall for you!).

Ahhh! Thanks so much, Mr. C! My wee Chickadee brain understands now! LOL! There's hope for me yet, ehh, especially so easrly in the morning. It's about 8:20 here with sunny~ish skies and just above freezing. S-N-O-W and freezing rain for later this afternoon and into tomorrow,

Maybe if Photobucket will let me, I'll post some photos of a "Please ID Me" kind later?

Thanks again. Kindest regards to you and your Cactus family.

Thanks you C3D - my regards to you and yours as well.

[mickthecactus]

One of the bauties of Aloes is that they flower at this time of the year and he flowers can be quite spectacular.

I have laeta, millottii, calcairophylla and descoignsii in flower at present. Most of the others are not big enough yet to flower.

[mickthecactus]

C3D, on your Aloe cutting - I came back from Kew Gardens last year with a parcel of Aloe cuttings and rooted them all in cat litter. The big granular type. It is really excellent for cuttings being light and airy and holding enough moisture to get them interested.

[debbiem]

Well I never! Who'd have thought you could use it that way - brilliant!

[Sweetleaf]

debbiem said:

Well I never! Who'd have thought you could use it that way - brilliant!

It was the best stuff ever for rooting cuttings , I gave it a go with some that Mick sent me, it was a resounding success! ;D

[debbiem]

Wow - I'll remember for future reference, thanks!

[mickthecactus]

One Aloe from Kew totally refused to root - Aloe glauca. No matter what I did it would not respond. It's been sitting in totally dry cat litter for months and when I loked at it yesterday guess what - roots!

Also, there are 2 Aloes that I am after - haemanthifolia and parallelifolia.

I tracked down the first one to a specialist nursery in Holland that only does in vitro propagation and they have them but... 33 Euros is the cost of the plant and postage. I shall have to think hard about that. That is more than I have ever paid for a single plant.

[chickadeedeedee]

Thanks for the Aloe cutting tips, Mr. Cactus!

Then we have this

The Aloe I purchased a few months ago. I have not killed him (yet) and it has new growth but it is obviously not the happiest of plants. The new growth is pale, long strappy and not crispy like the others leaves.

I'm thinkin' he needs more light?

A new home?

Thanks for any advice.

[mickthecactus]

chickadeedeedee said:

Thanks for the Aloe cutting tips, Mr. Cactus!

Then we have this

The Aloe I purchased a few months ago. I have not killed him (yet) and it has new growth but it is obviously not the happiest of plants. The new growth is pale, long strappy and not crispy like the others leaves.

I'm thinkin' he needs more light?

A new home?

Thanks for any advice.

Yup. Definitely much more light. They want all the sun going.

Also needs a cool place in winter. 40f is fine for it.

You can put it in the garden for summer in a sunny spot.

Any chance of your being in the UK at the end of April for our Kew Gardens trip? We'd all love to meet you!

[chickadeedeedee]

Good morning Mr. C. and thanks for the advice.

Hmmmm. More light and a cool place. I think the Aloe may be placed on the breezeway then. (An enclosed porch-like part of the home).

I'd love to meet you as well but I'm not going to the UK any time soon. March 9th I'll be at an orchid show, what a shock, ehh? That's the one gift outing I give to myself each year.


Thanks again.

[mickthecactus]

chickadeedeedee said:

Good morning Mr. C. and thanks for the advice.

Hmmmm. More light and a cool place. I think the Aloe may be placed on the breezeway then. (An enclosed porch-like part of the home).

I'd love to meet you as well but I'm not going to the UK any time soon. March 9th I'll be at an orchid show, what a shock, ehh? That's the one gift outing I give to myself each year.

Thanks again.

Shame. Maybe one day we'll all get a chance to meet.

(H'm, an outing to Chickadeedeedee land..........)

[Sweetleaf]

mickthecactus said:

chickadeedeedee said:

Good morning Mr. C. and thanks for the advice.

Hmmmm. More light and a cool place. I think the Aloe may be placed on the breezeway then. (An enclosed porch-like part of the home).

I'd love to meet you as well but I'm not going to the UK any time soon. March 9th I'll be at an orchid show, what a shock, ehh? That's the one gift outing I give to myself each year.

Thanks again.

Shame. Maybe one day we'll all get a chance to meet.

(H'm, an outing to Chickadeedeedee land..........)

Ill need a bigger penny jar for that project, but Im up for it. let me see, Roan`s in NZ, C3D in Ohio ...thats almost a world tour