Aloe polyphylla
I find the inconstant nature of the plant creation fascinating . I ’ve never take care at a rose and care that all of the leave develop equally spaced like some AI - engender picture of nature .
Or that a Japanese maple was totally symmetric . I suppose the irregular gaps in a ginkgo tree that permit the sunlight shine through are just as beautiful as the densely packed branches and I would n’t wish them away .
But the precise arranging of the leaves of coiling aloe ( Aloe polyphylla ) reflect the incredible complexity of the rude Holy Scripture . There ’s something so satisfying about its geometrical shape .
I say “ something , ” but no doubt its pleasing arrangement speaks to the innately likable shape of the aureate proportion and Fibonacci sequence found in nature .
The “ lucky ratio ” is a mathematical ratio where one portion is just half the duration of the longer luck .
We yoke to marketer to help you determine relevant product . If you purchase from one of our connectedness , we may earn a commission .
This ratio is associated with beauty and harmony and is recall in manmade art and computer architecture . The Fibonacci successiveness illustrate this ratio .
It ’s operose to find a plant that more obviously instance these concepts in nature than the evenly - spaced ontogenesis pattern of turbinate aloe .
Now , obviously , I would never play favorites with my succulent any more than a parent would announce they have a favorite shaver .
But the many - leaved aloe , as it ’s also recognize , is decidedly at the top of my list . If I could only save one succulent in my garden , you lie with which one I ’m beak .
In this usher , I ’ll give you some objective fact about caring for this spectacular plant , but I ’m not go to try and pretend that I ’m not totally obsessed by it !
Here ’s what we ’ll talk over , sprinkled with tons of wonderment :
What You’ll Learn
Quick Look
How to Grow
Where to Buy
sustainment
extension
Pests and Disease
I do n’t bonk about you , but I care make out the history of the plants I grow . Sometimes it helps me understand more about how to care for them , and sometimes it ’s just interesting entropy .
So before we commence digging into care , let ’s look at how it get from its African home plate to our homes and gardens .
If you head to the nerveless , blotto mountains of Lesotho in southern Africa at height from about 6,500 to 8,500 groundwork , you ’ll find spiral aloes growing on the basalt cliffs , slope , and bumpy areas in the Drakensberg and Maluti mountain swan .
vulgar name(s):Spiral aloe
plant life type : Evergreen succulent
Hardiness ( USDA Zone):7 - 11 ( outdoor )
Native to : Lesotho ( Southern Africa )
Bloom time / time of year : Spring and summertime
picture : Full Dominicus to partial sun
dirt type : Loose , well draining or succulent potting mix
Soil pH:5.5 - 7.0 , slimly acidic to neutral
Time to maturity : Up to 10 years
Mature size:3 ft full x 1 ft eminent
Best employ : Containers , rock music garden , xeric gardens
Taxonomy
Order : Asparagales
fellowship : Asphodelaceae
Genus : Aloe
mintage : Polyphylla
That ’s the only place in the whole world where they can be constitute indigenously , though they have naturalized in areas with similar climates .
The plants only grow in spots that face towards the equator and are systematically moist , with rich soil .
Sadly , the plant has been overharvested in the state of nature and is now rarified in its original home .
On top of that , the malachite sunbird ( Nectarinia famosa ) that helps pollenate this aloe in the state of nature is experiencing a step-down in numbers , which does n’t help the post .
The species namepolyphyllameans many - leaved . Polyis Greek for many , andphyllais Greek for leaves , which is meet for this plant . It does n’t have a stem but rather good deal of thick , succulent , sharpen leafage .
Five rows on each plant , to be exact , and each wrangle can have up to 30 leaves .
These spirals step by step expatiate clockwise or counter - clockwise to take form those five row of fat , greyish - putting surface , serrated leaves with purple spiky tips .
At maturity , which can take up to a decade , the plant commit up a thick , magniloquent , branched blossoming with chickenhearted , red , or salmon flowers . Once these disappearance , seeds uprise .
A ripe plant might also begin to split . I think it ’s super interesting when this happens , because rather of one single lineage point of the spiral , the aloe will develop two origin points where the spiraling wrangle egress from .
you’re able to separate these or entrust them in place and the plant will eventually separate itself in two .
These plants can progress to between three and four feet panoptic and a foot grandiloquent before they start to split .
Because they are from a relatively cool part of the Earth , A. polyphyllacan tolerate cooler temperatures than many other aloe species . They are intrepid in Zones 7 to 11 .
How to Grow Spiral Aloe
Spiral aloe is easy to care for if you give it the weather condition the plant prefers .
Light
whorled aloe take a full to partial sun location to thrive .
It prefer coolish climates , so if you live somewhere with very gamy temperature , set it somewhere with good afternoon shade to protect it from the blistering time of the day .
If you are growing yours as a houseplant , bring home the bacon four to six hour of direct Sunday per sidereal day . That means a south- or west - facing window is ideal .
Temperature
These industrial plant do their growing when temperature are between 50 to 80 ° F , but they can abide a freeze .
If you live on in Zone 7 , you might want to get across the flora in icing cloth if it is n’t covered in snow , just to be safe .
Watering
Do n’t overwater your voluted aloe . I ’m telling you , overwatering will quick result in root decomposition , and it happens to so many aloes and other succulent .
have the ground or potting medium prohibitionist out completely between tearing . Each time before you pee , stick by a digit in the soil . It should feel wry as deeply as you could reach .
In the wintertime , the flora goes semi - dormant and requires even less H2O than it does during the growing season . Let the dirt dry out out for a workweek or two before you water again .
Soil
If you ’re growing outdoors , add some perlite or lava rock ‘n’ roll to the soil to help loosen it up .
For container - raise , choose a well - drain succulent or cactus medium .
Alternatively , you canmake your own succulent potting mix . Spiral aloe prefers slightly acidic to indifferent territory with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0 .
I like Tank’s - Pro Cactus & Succulent Mix , with its thoroughgoing mixture of pumice , coco chips , and organic compost .
Tank’s - Pro Cactus & Succulent Mix
Arbico Organics carriesthis commixture in one - and - a - half cubic foot dish .
Choosing the Right Container
Speaking of containers , choose one that is made from wood , ceramic , or terra cotta to keep the soil from overheating . If the soil temperature rises above 80 ° atomic number 9 it could kill your aloe .
The ultimate size of it of the container will want to be super large if you want your aloe to corkscrew out as gravid as it can .
count on the size of the specimen you could start it in a smaller container , obviously , but you ’ll finally need to upgrade to something potentially as large as a half barrel that can hold over 20 gallons of soil to accommodate a mature works . This can take place in about seven years .
Containers are an first-class option for those of us who have weighed down , clay soil in our gardens .
Fertilizing
Do n’t eat out-of-door plants . Those growing indoors can be feed once in the outpouring with a slow - release cactus fertilizer or once in springiness , summer , and fall with a standard fertilizer . Avoid using granular fertilizer .
Dr. Earth has an excellent cactus and succulent nutrient made out of supermarket food scrap thriftlessness in a convenient pump container .
Dr. Earth Succulence
you may find Dr. Earth Succulence in 16 - Panthera uncia bottlesat Arbico Organics .
get word more about how to fertilize aloe in our guide .
Do n’t expect the distinctive voluted pattern to develop until the plant has 45 leaves – five rows of seven leaves . That ’s when the pattern becomes obvious .
This plant has been overharvested in the wild and is in peril of extinction .
Be super cautious when purchasing and check that you regain a reputable seller that does n’t deal poached plants or come .
You ’ll likely discover spiral aloe uncommitted at specialty glasshouse , especially those that focalise on succulent and xeriscaping .
If any of the leaves become pathologic , turn white-livered or dark-brown , or let out , do n’t remove them .
Wait until they dry out up and detach naturally . Pulling or cutting off damage or discolored leaves can cause more harm than good .
I know it ’s not pretty , but resist the urge to get in there and strip things up until the leaf can be pull away without having to tote it .
recall of spiral aloe as the anti - maintenance plant . Give it the weather it prefers and let it be .
Repotting
As your aloe arise and reaches the edges of its container , you ’ll want torepot your aloeinto a larger plenty .
hit the industrial plant from its container , discard all the excess land , and put a bed of cactus and succulent pot culture medium in the new container .
Set the works in place and satisfy in around the solution with more potting medium .
Spiral Aloe Propagation
I first visualize this plant as the background of a friend ’s computer cover and I was smitten .
I went on a commission to find one of my own and it took a long metre . Of course , this was decades ago and there were fewer choice out there .
These mean solar day , lots of retailers carry live plant life and if you have access to a fledged industrial plant you may glean seeds .
Many bitter aloes mail out pups or offset , and you’re able to propagate these . Spiral aloe is technically capable of putting out setoff , but it ’s not common and they do n’t seem to go well after transplanting .
If you do have some offsets that you ’d like to transplant , read our guide for tips .
Unlike many succulents , you ca n’t propagate the leaves of spiral aloe .
If you ’re lucky enough to have access code to a bouncy plant or a reputable seed seller , interpret on to memorize more about part these plants from seed .
From Seed
you’re able to diffuse coiling aloe from come , but keep in mind that some online marketer will mislabel the seeds . search for reputable sellers who provide tested and prove semen .
Even reputable Peter Sellers may sometimes have seeds that produce plant that are “ confused . ” That means the leaf sequence wo n’t grow in the pattern you ’re expecting .
They might be stack or staggered rather than spiraled . Some plant will right their growth as they mature .
Since these plant seldom flower in culture , source feasible seed can be difficult .
You demand to rise inseminate the seed and keep them in temperature between 60 to 70 ° atomic number 9 . The sensitive should be kept moist at all prison term . Wait until the plant has at least six true leaves before transplant .
Learn more about starting aloe plant from seed .
From Divisions
As mentioned , spiral bitter aloes by nature start to split into two plants as they age .
you’re able to take advantage of this phenomenon to separate your plant into multiple . Once the plant has split and has two clear-cut points of origin in the spirals , you could carve up it up .
To do this , you ’ll dig out up the plant and brush away the soil . search for the fleck where the plants are separating and softly beleaguer them aside . Then , replant each department .
Read our guide to dividing aloe for more advice .
I recommend you wear long sleeves and gloves when working with this plant because the points on the leaves can cause accidental injury .
From Transplants
Be careful about where you purchase your plant , as while it ’s illegal to glean them from the wilderness , poachers still remove them and offer them for sale .
ensure your seller is source them from a reputable grower .
When they are immature , the plants do n’t yet have the distinct spiral formation .
This comes with years , so do n’t panic if the one you incur at the storage or meet in the mail does n’t front like the graciously spiraling 1 you see in pictures . That will make out with clock time .
mark your houseplant in its permanent office after watering well .
Stressed turbinate aloe plants are more susceptible to problems , especially from pesterer , than those that are happy .
Keeping the plant life in the right condition and provide the right precaution will go a long way towards avoiding problems with pests and disease .
That said , even the good like - for plant can confront issues . lease ’s talk about a few pest that have it away to nosh on voluted aloe .
Pests
Aloe mites are devastating pests that do a stack of damage and are impossible to eliminate . Let ’s talk about those , first .
A close-fitting congener of spider mites , aloe mites ( Eriophyes aloines ) overrun the top of the base of aloe plants where the leaves issue .
When they feed , they cause the plant to collapse , which can often be mistaken for theme buncombe , which we ’ll talk over below . The larva can only be seen with a magnifying glass , so it can be toilsome to separate they ’re present .
You ’ll need to check the roots to see if they ’re rotting and look for the adult mites , which you’re able to see crawl around if you use a hired hand lens .
If the plant has a mite plague , there is no cure and you ’ll need to dispose of the flora to foreclose the mites from spreading .
While there can be several different aphid mintage that feed on aloes , aloe vera aphid ( Aloephagus myersi ) is the major player in California and Florida .
They have n’t yet been report outside of these expanse at the clock time of penning .
disregardless of the specie , all aphids are sapsucking dirt ball that cluster and feed on plant tissue paper .
They like to hide out in protected area , which makes it hard to spot them on spiral aloes , because there are so many corner and crack in between the leaves .
More than potential , it ’s the scathe you ’ll see rather than the pests themselves . As they use their sucking mouthpart , they drain sap , leaving speckled yellow on the leaves .
You might also see mucilaginous honeydew melon , which is fundamentally aphid poop , and the sour , pitch-dark fungus calledsooty moldthat is attracted to the honeydew melon .
If your specimen has an aphid infestation , you ’ll require to saturate the plant in insecticidal Georgia home boy once every few weeks , taking care to get into the folds in between the leaves .
Bonide Insecticidal Super Soap
Springtails are tiny worm that give on fungi and decaying roots in the land .
They need high moisture in the soil to fly high , so they should n’t usually be a problem if you ’re rent the soil dry out completely .
They do n’t ordinarily cause much scathe , but their presence is an denotation that the conditions are all faulty for your spiral aloe .
Reduce watering or cover your plant if it ’s the rainy season . When you correct the surround , the collembolan problem will work itself .
Disease
theme rot is a common and deathly trouble in all types of aloes . It has two causes . The first is simply drowning the source in so much urine that they ca n’t pass off .
The other is fungal pathogens in theFusariumgenus , which are attracted to sloshed grease . Either way , too much water is the master driver .
When root buncombe sets in , the tips of the leaves will turn dark . The roots will be brown , soft , and mushy . If you surmise root rot , remove the industrial plant from the container and spray off the soil from the roots .
finger the beginning and remove any that are wholly hokey . Those that experience a small firm can usually be saved .
Scrape off any dead material from the exterior of the roots using a knife . You require to give away the firm , yellow-bellied tissue underneath .
Replant and do n’t water again until you may lightly wiggle the flora and it stays in place rather than wobble , indicating it has developed new roots .
Learn more about root rot in our guide .
Best Uses for Spiral Aloe
You do n’t need more than one spiral aloe to make a big impact , but you could certainly aggroup three or five for a wow factor .
Otherwise , let it take centerstage in a succulent garden . you could grow it at bottom as a houseplant if you have enough Light Within or outside in a container .
Nature’s Architecture at its Finest
Spiral aloe is striking . I see citizenry use photos of this plant as a wallpaper on their phones and computers .
It ’s regularly used as an illustration of the Fibonacci sequence . A. polyphyllais one of those plant that looks so perfect and strange that it ’s hard to believe it ’s genuine .
And formore entropy about produce aloe , add these guides to your reading listing next :
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Kristine Lofgren
