![]() ![]() This aloe is the national flower of Lesotho and has been legally protected since 1938. Overgrazing by domestic animals on surrounding vegetation and the construction of roads have also destroyed much of the plant's habitat. With its striking arrangement of spiral leaves, this aloe is highly prized. The number of spiral aloes in the wild has decreased mainly because the plants have been dug up for sale to gardeners and nurseries. It grows in areas where its roots are kept moist in summer by a continual flow of water and where rainfall measures about 43 inches (109 centimeters) per year. At altitudes above 8,600 feet (2,621 meters), it is found more often on easterly slopes. It is usually found on north-facing slopes. The spiral aloe grows at elevations of 7,300 to 8,900 feet (2,225 to 2,713 meters) on steep slopes with loose rock. A survey in the early 1990s discovered an estimated 12,500 to 14,000 individual plants in about 50 areas. The plant is concentrated in the Thaba Putsoa Range and the Maseru area of the Drakensberg Mountains. The spiral aloe is found in scattered areas in Lesotho, a country forming an enclave within east-central South Africa. The spiral aloe produces a large amount of seed, but it seems to reproduce mainly by sending out offshoots (shoots that branch out from the main stem of the plant to form new plantlets). Flowering occurs from August through December, with peak blooms visible in September and October.īotanists (people specializing in the study of plants) believe insects and birds such as the Malachite sunbird help pollinate (fertilize by transferring pollen) the plant. Very rarely, however, the blooms are yellow. The color of the blooms can range from pale red to salmon pink. ![]() The flowers are clustered on the shoot tips. The leaves have rather soft white spines or teeth on their margins or edges.Ī flowering shoot extends 20 to 24 (51 to 61 centimeters) inches above the plant, branching from near the base. Each leaf is egg-shaped and very fleshy, measuring 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30.5 centimeters) long and 2.4 to 4 inches (6 to 10 centimeters) wide. These leaves are arranged in five spiral rows, running clockwise or counterclockwise. The spiral aloe, also known as the kharetsa, has a rosette, or rounded cluster of 75 to 150 mostly erect leaves measuring up to 31 inches (79 centimeters) across. It is also classified as a perennial (plant that lives, grows, flowers, and produces seeds for three or more consecutive years). Plant comes fully established in pot.ĭue to quarantine restrictions, this item can only be shipped to areas within Western Australia (WA).An aloe (pronounced AL-o) is a succulent (a plant that has thick, fleshy, water-storing leaves or stems), native chiefly to dry warm areas of southern Africa. Pot is 50mm in diameter and 70mm in height (+ height of plant). Can be included as a central feature in a potted succulent garden. ![]() Happy in either a full sun or part shade position.Ī collector’s delight! They make a fabulous feature plant in a large pot on their own or in the garden. Large, salmon pink flowers appear on chunky inflorescences above the rosettes. ![]() Will begin to spiral once it is a couple to several years old.Īlthough relatively slow growing, rosettes can reach up to 60cm in diameter and height.įoliage is grey/blue to green in colour, and can appear slightly iridescent towards the centre of the rosette. Large, stemless rosettes with fleshy, pointed leaves that are famously known for their ability to overlap and spiral outwards. ![]()
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