Aloe spicata - Bottle-brush Aloe

Aloe spicata is single- or multi-stemmed and grows up to 2m tall, with about 30 leaves in a dense rosette. The leaves are 600–800 mm long, spreading to slightly recurved, channelled, with small firm teeth along margins, and are bright green, often flushed with reddish green colour. The inflorescences are single (unbranched), but each rosette is able to produce more than one inflorescence in the flowering season, which is midwinter (June to August). 

 The inflorescence is a densely flowered, erect raceme, 500 mm to 1.2 m long and less than 50 mm in diameter, with a bottle-brush appearance. The flowers are stalkless, small and yellow, with long, prominent stamens and they produce abundant amounts of nectar, which attracts large numbers of birds and insects. Fruits are dark brown, releasing small black seeds without wings.

  • Scientific Name: Aloe spicata L.f.
  • Common Names:
    Bottle-brush Aloe, Spike-flowered Aloe, Bullocks Bottle-brush Aloe, Lemombo Aloe,Gazaland Aloe, Inhlaba
  • Synonyms:
    Aloe sessiliflora, Aloe sessiliflora Pole-Evans, Aloe tauri L.C.Leach
  • Family: Aloeaceae
  • Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
  • Species: A. spicata
  • Genus: Aloe


 Origin:This Aloe is native to steep rocky slopes at elevations up to 5,600 feet in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natla, South Africa.

 Hardiness:
Hardiness zone: 25 to 30°F; -3.9 to -1.1°C
source pic:  frozenseeds.com

How to Grow and Care
Aloe spicata is an easy plant to grow and does not give problems in cultivation. Plant this aloe in full sun to light shade in well-drained, moderately fertile soil, with slightly acidic PH (5–6) and irrigate sparingly. It is does well as a pot plant, perfect for a bright windowsill but grows remarkably better outdoors in spring and summer.
The Lebombo aloe is propagated from seeds or stem cuttings. Collect seeds once the capsules have matured, that is when the lower capsules have split open. Sow seeds in sandy soil at a temperature between 20ºC and 24ºC, cover with coarse gravel or clean river sand to prevent the seedlings from being washed out. Keep the seeds beds moist until germination is complete... 

 – Learn more at: HOW TO GROW AND CARE ALOE
source pic:  pza.sanbi.org
source pic:  flickr.com
source pic: Facebook.com

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