It grows bright reddish-orange flowers but the seeds are poisonous. This way I use less soil and I have less damping off concerns since my plants are grown in a slightly lower humidity environment. Water tray under the pots on the left. But we located some seeds. The seeds themselves require little species care or handling before planting. One must remember they live in Lesotho which is a mountain kingdom. Native to high mountains in Africa, it's almost impossible to find. [ Home | Or place next to a water feature. Veterinarian and Exotic Plant Lover... and obsessive, compulsive collector of all oddball tropical and desert plants. Aloe polyphylla or (Spiral aloe of Lesotho) is a pretty rare aloe species. Subscribe in a reader ← How to grow Coriander, Dhania leaves at Home; Easy Bulb Planting Guide – Grow Ranunculus Flowers → Leave a … Other than moisture and protection from fungus and soil gnats, or possibly fertilization if grown in pumice or perlite only, these plants need little care. Once they have enough bulk, leaves and root to move up, they become much hardier and less apt to die for no apparent reason. On Mar 12, 2010, BayAreaTropics from Hayward, CA wrote: I have been told by those who propagate this plant from seed at U.C.Berkeley that the key to growing it is to always grow it on a slope or if in a pot,tilt the pot so water never sits in the rosette. they are used to -10 to -20 C overnight which usually warms to 10 to15 C during the day, summer temps go to 15 to 22 C so it's a very cool climate. For example, this packet is going to be filled with Aloe deyeri seed. Aloe does not need fertilizer but can be given a phosphorus-heavy, water-based fertilizer at half-strength. Keeping seeds in paper envelops ensures they won't rot from excessive humidity, though aloe seeds have very little moisture in them to begin with, so one might get away with storing them in plastic bags. The pumice shades the germinating seed and props up the fat little Aloe seedlings once they germinate and elongate. There are many ways to germinate seed and I cannot say one is better than another. No need to add water. Contact Us | On Sep 8, 2008, baiissatva from Dunedin,New Zealand wrote: Though beautiful, I agree with palmbob about this plant- its a bit of a diva, being super-thirsty and fussy about light levels. Since I grow mine in open containers, I water them frequently (nearly every day if the weather is hot and dry), which is labor intensive, but keeps the fungal threat low. You can replant both pups that have developed new roots and those pups that don’t have roots. On Apr 8, 2015, saura111 from adelaide,Australia wrote: Hi there, I tend to grow my aloes in an open-air situation and have very little damping off. Plus this keeps me actively observing for problems and feeling like I am at least doing something. According to info found on some growers sites and researches seeds should be viable even till 2025. Once the seedlings are old enough, they are removed from the germination containers and put in single small pots (usually two inch) or they can be placed in larger group containers. Gardens with numerous species of aloes growing near each other are likely to produce a lot of hybrid aloe seed as pollinators for aloes, primarily bees and hummingbirds, move easily from species to species. Tour | Aloe vaombe in the back fruits just ripening and splitting open (left); cut inflorescence with seeds falling onto a cloth (right), Several examples of seed pods opening up with seed inside, Aloe sinkatana seed pods on plant opening (left) and several in hand in various stages of aging (right), seed on left is not ripe yet (notice nearly white) while seeds on right, though clumping from juices of cut fruit, are nice and dark (ripe and ready to sow). The spiral formation of Aloe polyphylla is its most striking feature and is the main reason why growers are motivated to plant it in their respective gardens. Air flow also keeps fungus and fungal gnats to a minimum. Usually I dont persist with fussy customers, but its so potentially beautiful that its worth the effort. Aloe polyphylla is a rare beauty with a spellbinding spiral statement! But once they start to dry out or dehisce, you should be ready to harvest seed or the seed will all blow away. Stapelia, like aloe, is a succulent. The plant gets its name from soap because it makes a soapy lather in water, which is usually used by the locals. I have tried growing aloes on heating pads/trays but I usually damaged the sensitive roots this way and no longer am trying that method. I don't want to ruin the spiral of this plant,so could you help me figure out how to get a start of this beautiful aloe plant. I Googled Aloe polyphylla pics; none look like my Aloe. Mix well. The plant features large, thick, and tapered leaves that house a gel-like substance. I think I under soiled the box now am trying to figure out how to lift her to add more, reading this I see I have been over watering and she is in extreme direct heat but seems to be thriving , does have bruised tips at mo from moving but was the same when I got her took a good nine months to recover tho, but still flow... read moreered. They germinate readily and are as easy to grow as most succulents. I use common potting soils or cactus soils with added pumice (often half and half) and continue to water frequently. Playground sand is so fine it can make the mix drain a bit too slow. Leaves form a unique clockwise or counterclockwise geometric spiral pattern as the plant ages. This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions: On Aug 12, 2016, katng from Hayward, CA wrote: The bottom leaves look like they are drying out. I do not know how long aloe seeds normally remain viable this way, but some of these two-year-old seeds germinated, though probably the majority did not. However, my primary problem is with desiccation, not fungus. Description Aloe humilis is a small succulent that forms dense clusters of stemless or very short-stemmed rosettes of pale blue-green leaves with irregular bumps and soft spines along the margins. Whether the spiral moves clockwise or counter-clockwise, the leaves are arranged in a way that the spiral looks perfect. If the leaves droop or lie flat, it probably needs more sunlight. Visiting the Spiral Aloe Plants at Succulent Gardens. a cool basement), or use fresher seed. Perhaps im just trippin'. Needs perfect drainage and and lots of bright light. The wild population in Lesotho is almost extinct, and buying or collecting the plant there is a criminal offense. Gotten one through 3 summers and looking really none the worse for wear! pots in bags works a lot better than soil in bags. Many experienced aloe growers grow their plants in baggies, finding this an excellent method to keep a humid environment that is both convenient and cheap. Put soil in pots (about 4" diameter- a commonly available size) and place pots in pan of diluted fungicide up to top of soil level and soak. And their root structure consists of a single, very fine, delicate hair or two. Avoid letting the sand dry out completely for longer than six to eight hours, but do not saturate it either. 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