Aloe CASTILLONIAE

Aloe CASTILLONIAE - Castillon's aloe, Aloe castilloniae.

Very rare species!

Aloe is a genus of very popular succulent plants belonging to the Asphodelaceae family. This genus includes about 400 species and comprises a large number of plants that have fleshy and very juicy leaves with fairly soft spines located on them. There are shrubby, tree-like, herbaceous forms, as well as lianas. 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 not very large tubular flowers, colored, as a rule, in red, orange, white, or yellow. The flowers are located on a peduncle of considerable length, in a terminal multi-flowered raceme. Indoors, it practically does not bloom. Aloe lives in a flower pot for 5-20 years, for which it is also called "century plant".

Absolutely all cultivated species of aloe 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 undemanding, and any problems associated with caring for it, as a rule, never occur. This plant can easily withstand a lack of light, moisture, and warmth. Those species that were previously grown extremely rarely now increasingly adorn winter gardens. The century plant will make an excellent addition when creating arrangements that include slow-growing plants.

Castillon's aloe is a very attractive and bright miniature species, a collector's rarity. The shoots are horizontal, prostrate, up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in length, evenly covered with leaves. Leaves are juicy, short, 4-7 cm (1.6-2.8 in) long, wide at the base, yellow-green with red spines not only along the leaf margins, but also on the upper surface. Peduncles at the ends of shoots are short, 10-15 cm (3.9-5.9 in), few-flowered, up to 10 pieces. Flowers are tubular, orange. It grows in southwestern Madagascar on limestone cliffs.

Seeds are pre-soaked for 4-6 hours in a solution of growth stimulant or fungicide, then sown into a moist substrate consisting of leaf soil and river sand, poured over expanded clay previously scalded with boiling water. A sowing substrate the same as for adeniums can be used. The sowing is moistened with a spray bottle, placed in a greenhouse or covered with film, and germinated in light, but not in the sun, at a temperature of 21-26 °C (70-79 °F). Sprouts require ventilation. It is necessary to avoid waterlogging and drying out of sowings.

With seed propagation of aloe, cultivar traits may split. Seeds usually germinate from 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 light.

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 float at first, but then sink. Germination occurs unevenly starting from 4 weeks, but can also 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 moment of this method is submerging 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 in, but sprinkled with a teaspoon of soil from above. Over the course of 4 weeks, it is necessary to carefully monitor each seed and guide the sprouts to secure the root.

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Aloe, like almost all succulents, is undemanding in care. The century plant loves light very much, and therefore it is best placed on windowsills of windows located in the southern part of the room. However, it can also be grown in shaded places, but it should be noted that with a severe lack of light, the aloe leaves will stretch out and turn pale. In summer, the plant can be moved to fresh air, but rainwater must not be allowed to fall on it. A century plant that has spent a long time in the fresh air has clear advantages over one grown exclusively indoors. Thus, it has more powerful spines and a well-formed stem.

In summer, aloe requires fairly plentiful 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, with little juice inside. Due to the fact that the roots of the century plant are very thick and completely fill the pot, during watering the water flows into the saucer almost without delay. Therefore, it makes sense to water the plant by pouring water not into the pot, but into the saucer. In addition, the finest roots capable of absorbing moisture are located at the very bottom. To avoid rot on the roots, 30 minutes after watering the remaining liquid should be poured out of the saucer. Air humidity does not matter for aloe. But sometimes it needs a warm shower to clean dust off the leaves.

In summer, the century plant needs a moderate air temperature, and with the onset of winter it must be moved to a cooler room. The plant tolerates sudden temperature changes very well. Thus, most species are able to withstand a temperature drop down to 6 °C (43 °F). But there are also species that require a temperature of not less than 15 °C (59 °F).

You can make the soil mix yourself; for this you need to mix leaf 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 mix. The soil should have a slightly acidic reaction. You can purchase a ready-made soil mix for cacti. It is recommended to pour a little crushed brick and charcoal into it. While the plant is young, its repotting is carried out every year. An adult aloe requires repotting much less frequently, and it is carried out once every 2 or 3 years. Deep flower pots are chosen for this, and good drainage is not forgotten.

Feeding is carried out only once every 4 weeks, and only during the spring-summer period. For this, mineral fertilizer for succulents and cacti is used (a very weak solution is made). Feeding should be stopped in mid-autumn and not resumed until spring.

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