Aloe RUPESTRIS

Aloe RUPESTRIS - Bottlebrush aloe, Rock aloe, Aloe rupestris.

Aloe is a genus of very popular succulent plants belonging to the Asphodelaceae family. This genus contains more than 500 species. In nature, they grow in Africa and on the Arabian Peninsula. In indoor floriculture, many species are cultivated, and almost all of them are succulents with short shoots bearing densely set, fleshy, sword-shaped leaves. The leaf blades of most species have toothed margins, and the teeth can be soft or quite prickly.

These plants have moderately sized tubular flowers that are usually colored red, orange, yellow, or white. The flowers are gathered in terminal inflorescences on long peduncles. When grown in indoor conditions, flowering of Aloe is observed extremely rarely.

Practically all cultivated Aloe species are suitable for indoor maintenance and can even be used to decorate a child's room. The main thing to remember is that almost all species have spines, so they must be handled carefully.

Bottlebrush aloe is a tree-like plant up to 3 m (9.8 ft) high, with a thick trunk that is shaggy below with dried old leaves, while in the upper part the trunk is bare. The core of the trunk is soft, light, and spongy, so the plant needs support. The leaves grow spirally in a compact upper rosette, curved, up to 70 cm (28 in) long and 7-10 cm (2.8-3.9 in) wide at the base, lanceolate-attenuate, deeply channeled, dark green, reddish along the margins, smooth, with reddish-brown teeth up to 0.5 cm (0.2 in) high and spaced 1.5 cm (0.6 in) apart from each other. Inflorescences are candelabra-shaped, up to 125 cm (49 in) high, with 6-15 straight cylindrical racemes. The flowers are densely arranged, orange-yellow or lemon-yellow, cylindric-ellipsoid, up to 2 cm (0.8 in) long, expanded in the middle to 0.7 cm (0.28 in) and slightly narrowed toward the tips. Anthers are orange.

Seeds are pre-soaked for 4-6 hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or fungicide with the addition of growth stimulants (SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon), then sown in a moist substrate consisting of leaf mold and river sand poured over expanded clay pre-scalded with boiling water. A sowing substrate similar to that used for desert roses can be used. The sown seeds are moistened with a spray bottle, placed in a mini-greenhouse or covered with film, and germinated in light but not in direct sun at a temperature of 21-26 °C (70-79 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. It is essential to avoid waterlogging and drying out of the crops.

During seed propagation of Aloe, cultivar traits may segregate. Seeds usually germinate in 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 accustomed to lower humidity and brighter lighting.

An alternative method of seed germination in distilled water or a 10% solution of growth stimulants is possible. Seeds are placed in a small container of water, where they float at first but then sink. Germination occurs unevenly starting from 4 weeks, but may take several months. The water is changed every few days. Seeds are removed one by one as they germinate and placed into a substrate of equal parts sand and compost.

The critical point of this method is embedding the seed into the substrate with the root directed precisely downward, which can push the seed outward instead of developing inward. Rising seeds are not pressed back down, but are covered with a teaspoon of soil on top. Over the course of 4 weeks, it is necessary to closely monitor each seed and guide the sprouts to anchor the root.

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Aloe, like almost all succulents, is an undemanding plant in care. It loves light, and grows and develops splendidly on southern windows, as it does not fear direct rays of the sun. However, it can also be grown on windows of other orientations, though with a lack of light the plant may stretch. The best place for positioning the plant is considered a window facing east or west. Accustoming the plant to direct rays of the sun should be done gradually, especially after an overcast winter.

In summer, Aloe needs fairly abundant watering. In winter, on the other hand, it should be watered very rarely, using exclusively room-temperature water, or slightly warmer. If watering is too meager, the leaves will become very thin and contain little juice. Due to the fact that the roots of the plant are very thick and fill the pot completely, during watering the water rushes into the drainage tray almost without delay. That is why it makes sense to water the plant by pouring water not into the pot, but into the tray. Moreover, the finest roots capable of absorbing moisture are located at the very bottom. To avoid the appearance of rot on the roots, the remaining liquid must be emptied from the tray 30 minutes after watering. For Aloe, air humidity does not matter. But sometimes it 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 should be moved to a cooler room. The plant tolerates sharp temperature changes remarkably well. Thus, most species are able to withstand a drop in temperature down to 6 °C (43 °F). But there are also species that require a temperature of at least 15 °C (59 °F).

You can prepare a soil mixture yourself; to do this, blend leaf mold 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. You can purchase a ready-made potting mix for cacti. It is recommended to add a little crushed brick and charcoal to it. While the plant is young, its repotting is carried out every year. Mature Aloe needs repotting much less frequently, and it is conducted once every 2 or 3 years. Deep flower pots are chosen for this, without forgetting good drainage.

Fertilizer is applied only once every 4 weeks, and only during the spring-summer period. A mineral fertilizer for succulents and cacti is used for this (making a very weak solution). Feeding should be discontinued in mid-autumn and resumed in spring.

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