Aloe vanbalenii

Description

Aloe vanbalenii – Van Balen’s Aloe (e),) incenalamatshe (z), iLihlala (Sw). Fairly hardy, stemless, creeping Aloe. It creeps by making offsets that eventually make a big robust clump making it a striking, neat form plant. The leaves curl back and are green to coppery red depending on the growing conditions. The flowers are yellow and are borne on long, branched flowering stems that produce a striking display when in flower from June to Aug. The nectar rich flowers attract sunbirds and insects. An attractive garden subject that can be planted in sun or semi-shade and well-drained soil. Protect from frost while young. Occurs naturally on rocky hillsides. The cooked leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Size up to 1m. Locality : Piet Retief. Date of harvest : January 2010. Sowing : Seeds germinate very well but may damp off if overwatered. Use a mixture of river sand, compost and soil to sow seeds in. Sprinkle the seeds evenly on the surface and cover with a layer of small pebbles. The pebbles help the seedlings to stay upright and prevent damping off. Keep seed tray in a dry warm corner and do not allow to dry out. Transplant the seedlings after one year. Seeds take about 2 weeks to germinate. Locality: Swaziland. Harvest: January 2023