Aloe SPECIOSA

Aloe SPECIOSA - Tilt-head aloe, Aloe speciosa.

A rare species!

Aloe is a genus of very popular succulent plants belonging to the family Asphodelaceae. This genus numbers approximately 400 species and includes a large number of plants that have fleshy and very succulent leaves with fairly soft spines arranged on them. There are shrubby, arborescent, herbaceous forms, as well as vines. In the wild, Aloe can be found in Africa, with a large number of species growing on the Arabian Peninsula and in Madagascar. Translated from Arabic, "aloe" means "bitter".

These plants have moderately sized tubular flowers, colored as a rule in red, orange, white, or yellow. The flowers sit on a peduncle of considerable length in a terminal multi-flowered raceme. Under domestic conditions, it hardly blooms. Aloe lives in a flowerpot for 5-20 years, for which reason it is also called the "centenarian".

Absolutely all cultivated Aloe species are suitable for indoor cultivation, and they can even be used to green children's rooms. It is often used as a "home doctor". The plant is very unfussy, and there are typically no problems associated with its care. This plant can easily withstand a lack of light, moisture, and warmth. Species that were previously grown extremely rarely now increasingly adorn winter gardens. The plant makes an excellent addition when creating arrangements featuring slow-growing plants.

Aloe speciosa is a rare tree-like aloe that grows with a large rosette of leaves atop a woody stem. The rosette is always tilted to one side, toward the direction of the sun. Slender, drooping, pale green leaves are densely clustered around the tilted rosette. The leaf margins are pinkish with reddish teeth. During flowering, several short peduncles emerge from the center of the rosette, bearing vivid red flowers with white stripes.

Seeds are presoaked for 4-6 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide with the addition of stimulants (SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon), then sown into a moist substrate consisting of leaf mould and river sand spread over expanded clay pre-scalded with boiling water. A sowing substrate identical to that for adeniums can be used. The sowing is moistened with a spray bottle, placed in a propagator or covered with plastic wrap, and germinated in light but not in direct sun at a temperature of 21-26 °C (70-79 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. Overwatering and desiccation of the sowings must be avoided.

When propagating Aloe by seed, cultivar traits may segregate. Seeds usually germinate within 3-4 weeks to 2-3 months, depending on conditions. Pricking out is carried out after the appearance of 2-3 true leaves. Young plants are gradually acclimated to lower humidity and brighter lighting.

An alternative method of germinating seeds in distilled water or a 10% solution of growth stimulants is possible. The seeds are placed in a small container of water, where they initially float but then sink. Germination occurs unevenly starting from 4 weeks, but can also take several months. Water is changed every few days. The seeds are extracted one by one as they germinate and placed into a substrate of equal parts sand and compost.

The critical aspect of this method is embedding the seed into the substrate with the root directed strictly downward, which might otherwise push the seed outward instead of developing inward. Rising seeds are not pressed back down, but are sprinkled with a teaspoon of soil from above. Over the course of 4 weeks, each seed must be closely monitored and sprouts guided to anchor the root.

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The plant loves light very much, so it is best placed on windowsills in the southern part of the room. However, it can also be grown in shaded spots, though it should be borne in mind that with a severe lack of light, Aloe leaves will stretch out. In summer, the plant can be moved to fresh air, but rainwater should not be allowed to fall on it. An Aloe grown outdoors has clear advantages over one grown exclusively indoors: it has sturdier spines and a better-formed stem.

In summer, Aloe requires fairly copious watering. In winter, on the other hand, it should be watered very infrequently, using exclusively water at room temperature or slightly warmer. If watering is too meager, the leaves will become very thin and contain little juice. Because the roots of the plant are very thick and fill the pot completely, water rushes almost without delay into the tray during watering. For this reason, it makes sense to water the plant by pouring water into the tray rather than the pot. Furthermore, the finest roots capable of absorbing moisture are at the very bottom. To prevent root rot, remaining liquid must be emptied from the tray 30 minutes after watering. Air humidity does not matter for Aloe. However, it occasionally needs a warm shower to clean dust from the leaves.

In summer, the plant needs a moderate air temperature, and with the onset of winter it must be moved to a cooler room. The plant tolerates sharp temperature fluctuations excellently. Thus, most species are able to withstand a temperature drop down to 6 °C (43 °F). However, there are also species that require a temperature of at least 15 °C (59 °F).

You can prepare the soil mix yourself by combining leaf mould and sod soil with sand and humus in a 1:2:1:1 ratio. Also add charcoal and crushed brick. Peat should not be included in the composition. The soil should have a slightly acidic reaction. A ready-made potting mix for cacti can also be purchased. It is recommended to add a little crushed brick and charcoal to it. While the plant is young, repotting is carried out every year. An adult Aloe requires repotting much less frequently, and it is done once every 2 or 3 years. Deep flowerpots are chosen for this, without forgetting good drainage.

Fertilizing is performed only once every 4 weeks, and then only during the spring-summer period. A mineral fertilizer for succulents and cacti is used for this (mixed as a very weak solution). Fertilizing must be stopped in mid-autumn and withheld until spring.

Scale insects may target the plant. To get rid of them, wipe the leaves as often as possible with a cloth moistened in soapy water.