Aloe plicatilis
A shrub or small tree with a woody trunk and branches of spineless, strap-shaped, light green, to blue-grey leaves, to 30cm long, borne in fans. The tubular, vermillion flowers tipped with yellowish-green are borne at the end of upright flower spikes 30-45cm long from late winter to early spring
4-8 metres
4-8 metres
| Season | Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | ||||
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Under glass grow in a sharply-draining, peat-free, loam-based compost with extra sharp sand; in full sun and with good ventilation. Water moderately during the spring to early autumn, allowing the compost to dry between watering. Water sparingly and keep in cool temperatures 10°C and low humidity during the winter. Fertiliser may be applied two or three times during the growing season
Propagate by seed at 21°C or stem cuttings taken in late spring and early summer and rooted in sharply-draining cactus compost
No pruning required
May be susceptible to scale insects and mealybugs
Generally disease-free although can be susceptible to root rot if grown in a wet soil