Aloe bargalensis

Aloe bargalensis

Family: Asphodelaceae

Plants solitary or suckering sparingly. Leaves up to 20, 30-60 cm long, 6-20 cm wide, narrowly lanceolate, dark glaucous green, prominently white striate on both sides; margins almost smooth or with rigid teeth; teeth 1-2 mm long, sometimes as close as 12-15 mm. Inflorescences to 150 cm tall, simple or with 1-2 branches; branches (or flowering portion of simple inflorescence) 30-40 cm long, very narrowly cylindric; bracts to 15 mm long, 5 mm wide; pedicels 5-7 mm long. Flowers reddish with yellow mouth, pendulous; perianths narrow, about 30 mm long, 5 mm wide across the ovary, outer tepals free for about 16mm; anthers exserted about 3 mm; ovary about 5 mm long and 1.5 mm wide; stigma not exserted.

Sowing instructions: 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.

Locality: Bosaso, Somalia. Harvest: February 2025