Aloe Species

Aloe Ortholopha is endemic to a specific region on Zimbabwe's Great Dyke mountain range. It is not found anywhere else in the wild other ...Read Morethan a heavily mineralised (chrome) section of the Dyke in the Mutorashanga District.
The plant is endangered due to mining activity, but very difficult to grow in less mineralised soils. If transplanted from the Dyke onto other soil, it will die. More success may be had by planting seed into healthy soil. (This part of the Dyke is home to several endemic species not found elsewhere.)

We have 2 clones of this plant in the gardens. Planted when bent-up and desicated in March. much of the summer with quite a bit of wate...Read Morer these didn't look like much. As Fall approached they began to grow well. By late Fall they had reached beautifully colored plump and thick fat leaves. One plant in DG / pumice was bright bluish green. The other in seasoned pure DG had beads of deeper purple green and grayish green showing laterally across the leaves. It also was just as fat, thick and plump. Great plants so far, should flower this year.

bob
:>)

Wide leaf stemless aloe with minimal spines along leaf margins. Gets purply in full sun with dehydration, but greens up if watered. Rel...Read Moreatively fast grower (personal experience). Very drought tolerant, but likes water if it can get it. Grew very well in my poor quality clay soil.

Flowers a laterally oriented simple inflorescence in winter.. flowers oriented vertically on one side of the flower stalk (upper side) only. ... one of the slowest and most persistent flowers of any aloe I have grown (starts in Decmeber and finishes in March- one flower!). Most other aloes start flowering and that flower is usually done 2-3 weeks after it first starts to grow, though some have flowers that take about 5- weeks... but this one is about 12 weeks!