Lace aloe

Description

The lace aloe, now also classified as Aristaloe aristata, is a small perennial succulent of the asphodel family. It forms a compact, stemless rosette of fleshy, triangular, pointed leaves, dark green, dotted with small white tubercles and edged with dense soft bristles that resemble lace. The leaf tips end in a fine filament, hence the species name aristata ('awned'). In summer it produces flower stalks with orange-red tubular flowers, rich in nectar, much loved by bees and birds.

Origin

It is native to southern Africa, to South Africa, Lesotho and neighbouring regions, where it grows in rocky, mountainous habitats. It is one of the most cold-hardy aloes, able to withstand moderate frosts down to about -10 °C in dry soil.

Cultivation and care

It is a very easy, tough succulent, excellent both in a pot and in the rock garden in mild regions. It wants plenty of light, including direct sun, and a very free-draining soil. Water moderately in summer, letting the mix dry out well, and hardly at all in winter. It produces numerous offsets at the base, easy to separate for propagation.

• Place in a very bright spot, including full sun
• Water only when the mix is dry
• Separate the offsets to propagate it easily

Did you know?

Thanks to its hardiness, it is one of the few aloes that can be grown outdoors even in non-tropical climates. Its flowers are a valuable early-summer nectar source.