Borrego’s Aloe Blog

Today’s  featured plant is a virgin blooming aloe dorothea. This has been in the ground about a year  and is a great example of what planting an aloe in the ground can do.

I have an overflowing pot of aloe dorothea in a nice shady spot. It loves where it is, but may never flower because of the lack of direct sun and being crowded in a pot.

The aloe in the photo gets good sun and has responded accordingly. It also has a few offsets on the back side not seen in the photo. It will not get much larget than this, just continue to offset.

This could also be one spectacularly colored aloe if I were to grow it hard. Strong sun, combined with less water would turn it a reddish color.

Long time readers of the blog may remember the saga of the jade plant rescued from a near death last year. It is detailed in the links listed below. From the first day I rescued it, quite a transfomation has occurred.         http://borrego.thegardenjournals.org/?p=463   http://borrego.thegardenjournals.org/?=480

http://borrego.thegardenjournals.org/?p=496

This is a final post regarding the formerly traumatized jade, now clearly robust and healthy. However, for some unknown reason, it did not flower this season.

Today was the last day for this beauty in my possession. It was given a new loving home by someone thrilled to have it. I am thrilled to see it so vibrant.

Goodbye, dear jade. You were a model patient. May you flower one day.

A few months ago, I posted this aloe ‘Hercules’ to show the damage aphids can do if left unchecked. Now, 4 months later, new growth is evident in the crown.

All aloes are susceptible to aphid damage if left unchecked. However, some species have the ability to outgrown the damage in time. Juvenile species of tree aloes are good examples of this. As seen in the photo, the aloe will continue to grow, even though its’ lower leaves and crown have been damaged. As it continues to grow, the affects of the damage will slowly disappear.

If this were a mature tree aloe, the damage would be rather unsightly, damaging the aesthetic appeal of the aloe, as it would have completed most of its’ growing to reach maturity.  

Small, clumping aloes can be destroyed by aphid damage.  Their small stature make them vulnerable, unable to outgrow the unsightly damage most of the time. However, unaffected offsets can be successfully repotted.

Medium sized aloes are also at risk. In my own garden last year, aphids concentrated in the center of an in the ground aloe vera and by the time the damage was noticed, it was too far gone to save.

This winter has brought a few surprises in the garden. Among them is aloe ‘Jacob’s Ladder’, a virgin bloomer. Once established, it is a medium sized aloe that will offset.  However, with this being in the ground just over a year, it still has much growing to do.

This was one of two given to me as a gift from a friend a few years ago. The other one is still potted and has not bloomed. 

Originally, aloe ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ was introduced in 2004 as a hybrid by the Huntington Botanical Gardens. Of note, the flowers remain rather parallel to the ground, giving the the impression of a ladder of sorts. Hence, the name.  

Small, clumping aloes are not necessarily the highlight of my collection. However, depending on application, they do fill a niche. In this instance, they are featured in the front of one of my aloe beds,  as a border of sorts. 

 A regular aloe vera, for example, would not be appropriate here, as it would easily extend over the bricks into the adjacent grass. Mowing and trimming would be difficult, almost ensuring damage to the aloe vera. 

Aloe congolensis begins as a solitary plant, but will grow into a small clump over time. This has been in the ground nearly 3 years. Approximately 1′ across with multiple heads. Acquired for a few dollars from the local cacti club.

This one browns up quite a bit during summer, but with reduced sunlight in winter, is currently happy as a clam. A virgin bloomer with a short inflorescence. 

With winter upon us, several aloes are in bloom. In this post, aloe orthalopha is shown.

It was acquired 3-4 years ago and was originally planted in a 6″ pot. When I planted the aloe bed, it was one of the fortunate ones to be put in the ground.

It has grown into a nice medium sized aloe with a small stem. I do not expect it to get much larger than this. Flower color on it is yellow, although it may appear to be somewhat orangish in photo. It is is a virgin bloomer.

Seems as if I have overcome the photo posting hurdle and can now post photos once again. Now all I must do is go out and take a few.

This is a photo from my archives of an aloe pillansii that looks the same as it did 3 years ago when planted. I do not think it is getting enough heat. But at least I have not rotted it, as I did with the other one I had.

The small shrub in the background is a yellow flowering form of aloe arborescens, received as cuttings 2 years ago. 

As summer has wound down, so has the attention I have been paying to my collection. However, just yesterday, I watered everything, spruced up a few and moved a few others around.

A few of the aloes were rather dry. Temps here the last two weeks have been 80 degrees+. As such, I am still watering once a week.

Of note, aphids have been attempting to terrorize some of the aloes in the ground. They are quite persistent and damaging. In this instance, they have done quite a number on aloe ‘Hercules’, severely damaging the crown. The damage is unsightly and permanent. However, if given enough time, this aloe will grow through the damage. In a few years, you may not see any evidence of the damage.

Aphids are easily temporarily removed with the spray of a garden hose.

Aloe ‘Hercules’ is a aloe barberae x aloe dichotoma hybrid.

Currently having difficulty uploading photos. Hope to get it figured out soon.

I have often thought collecting aloes and gardening in general can be a fun and interesting hobby - if time permits. Sometimes, life interrupts gardening and collecting. Such has been is the case recently, but as summer winds down, the activity here should increase quite a bit.

Shown above is aloe peglerae. It has looked like this all summer. It should open up once fall comes. It has never bloomed for me. Grown in full sun.

If plants can suffer from viruses, why can’t computers? Such is the case in the last week.

However, the computer is now virus free and blogging should once again commence.