Aloe Species

i found this little beauty in wal-mart. yes, i rescue plants from big-box mall-warts, and i got a nice 6" harlana for about $7 US. im in ...Read Moreusda 8, it has been known to drop down to about 18oF in the coldest months so she (the aloe) is in my living room window for now...interesting to myself is the Ethiopian origin of this species, as the majority of the plants from this region i encounter are unsually striking, unique, and resilient, much like their fellow Ethiopians!

Actually grows great outdoors here in So Cal in 9b zone... nice looking Aloe with flat, wide dark green leaves and long, linear flecking ...Read Moreof white to lime stripes. It has a short stem and is slow to sucker (if ever- usually a solitary species). Has sharp teeth along the plastic-like stiff leaves. Flowers are in spring or fall and yellow-orange to dark red and branched, usually 3-6 branches.

This aloe is often confused with the much more common, and much smaller Aloe hemmingii, which has slightly more promintent spotting and pink flowers all year round. Aloe harlana is about 1'-1.5' in diameter and is nearly always solitary, while Aloe hemingii is only about 6" in diameter and is sometimes a prolific offsetter. Aloe hemmingii has more prominent spotting and relatively larger marginal teeth. Almost all Aloe harlanas sold today are actually Aloe hemmingiis. Aloe somaliensis also looks a lot like these other two aloes, especially when young, but tends to be a bit less prominently spotted as a mature plant and is about halfway inbetween the sizes of the other two. It also is usually solitary. When young Aloe peckii, mcloughlanii and suffulta can also be confused with Aloe harlana.

Greenhouse grown in 10a, slow growing very nice shape and attractive coloring to this Aloe. GREAT orange/red flower show in mid-late sum...Read Moremer. Will sunburn if exposed to full hot 9b sun if moving from greenhouse to outside for summer, so aclimate it slowly for some fresh air in the summer months.