The image captured (by thistlesifter) presents a distinct tight conical-shaped capitate inflorescense. Reynolds in his classic "Aloes of...Read More South Africas" shows the earliest known drawing of Aloe mitriformis created in the late 1700s. The monochrome line drawing has exactly the same capitate-style flower, that is atypical to any other illustrated in this plant file.
Reynolds states in text (in above reference) that the species has much variability in form and habit. He acknowledges having seen this capitate form in European collections, but it was his belief that it only existed in European collections, not in the field. Evidently he never encountered one in his field activities. This plant continues to grow as a single-headed plant (no offsets), that is the same as is described for the capitate variety in Reynold's book.
I have another specimen (different clone). It flowers with less of the capitate characteristic and has less of the blue (irredescense) seen in this image. I have crossed the two and and growing a few seedlings. Hopefully, I will be able to develop this beautiful strain, by creating more seedlings by super selection.
Please contact me by Dmail if you have this strain and wish to swap pollen.
This plant (and I will direct my comments ONLY to the 'distans' form of this species in the next few paragraphs) is commonly found in the...Read More local botanical gardens, and shows a great variety of color of the leaves, as well as the brightly colored flowers. It is a profusely suckering and trailing species (looks VERY different in general form from the 'other species' listed here), and one plant can eventually cover a large area.
THe 'distans' form of this species is a sprawling form of Aloe- it crawls along the ground or up along trunks and rocks. It suckers and then moves slowly across the landsape like a bunch of spiny blue-green snakes with yellow spots and teeth. The flowers are a circular arrangement of simple, coral tubular petals and quite attractive and are identicle to those of Aloe mitriformis. If given room to spread, it can make a great specimen plant for a xeriscape garden.
Note, this aloe has now been (incorrectly in my opinion) benn lumped together with Aloe mitriformis. I personally think there should still be a distinction between this plant (Aloe distans I will continue to refer to it as) and the other 'forms' of aloe perfoliata as this plant grows very unlike the others and at a different pace. If anything I would refer to this aloe as Aloe pefoliata var. distans... then at least people know what plant you are referring to.
I found Aloe 'distans' it to be an easy grow and not necessarily a big attractor of ants and their associated pests... though it is sometimes infected with aloe mite.
Aloe 'mitriformis' is a larger plant, but another 'crawler', though it does not make the long 'snakes' of plant material that Aloe 'distans' does. Plant looks like a robust form of Aloe 'distans' with exactly the same flowers.
These all are definitely some of the more cold hardy aloes showing no damage to temps in the mid 20s in southern California.
The image captured (by thistlesifter) presents a distinct tight conical-shaped capitate inflorescense. Reynolds in his classic "Aloes of...Read More
This plant (and I will direct my comments ONLY to the 'distans' form of this species in the next few paragraphs) is commonly found in the...Read More