photos of tree and long stem aloes

Tree aloes must be one of the most impressive plants for a garden. Aloe barberae is very easy to grow in most gardens, but the breathtaking Aloe dichotoma is very difficult in most gardens and forget about Aloe pilansii. There are many single stem tree aloes that do very well in water saving gardens, see photos below.

seeds catalog

click on the photos to enlarge

Aloe africana	2-4m. Grows easy in frost free areas. The flowers are special in that the tip of the opening flower curls upwards.
Aloe arborescens	3m. Forms a bush. A fast growing easy aloe for the garden. Flowers are all shades from yellow, orange to red and bi-color.
Aloe barberae	Trees up to 18m is recorded with a stem 3 m. in diameter. Easy growing in any normal garden.
Aloe candelabrum	5m. This aloe is now classified with A. ferox. It is a heave aloe with stunning racemes orange or red and shades between.
Aloe castanea	2m. The stem usually branch into two short branches. The small open flowers are packet tight on the long curving racemes. The dark nectar is clearly visible in the short open flower.

Aloe ciliaris	The long stems are very thin and need the support of another bush or tree. No harm is done to the other plant as this aloe needs little water and it grows inside the tree which does not cut off light from the tree into which it grows for support.
Aloe comosa	This is a winter rainfall aloe that blooms in summer when the aloe is very dried out. The stem grows to 3m. On the photo is a very young plant with an inflorescens higher than 2 meter. The flowers are bright pink opening to cream. It will grow well in any dry climate with a little watering in winter. A.comosa does not do well in normal summer rain areas unless it is protected from rain.
Aloe dichotoma	The photo was taken in Windhoek where the climate is dry and hot with frost in winter. The only thing that kills this aloe is water. Aloe dichotoma grows easy from seeds and will do well in a container out of rain. Like most aloes it does not need much soil.
Aloe candelabrum	5m. This aloe is now classified with A. ferox. It is a heavy aloe with densely flowered long racemes.
Aloe ferox	5 m. A lovely aloe for the garden. The only drawback is size. It comes in colors from white, orange, yellow and red. This is also the best medicinal aloe which may be unfortunate for it in the habitat, but at the moment it seems to survive quite well.

Aloe littoralis	4 m. Another aloe that does not want much water, but it is not as sensitive as Aloe dichotoma. It grows easy from seeds and blooms at a very young age. The young plants are attractive with spotted leaves.
Aloe marlothii	3m max 6m. An easy hardy aloe. This heavy aloe with the very large inflorescens is a majestic plant in any garden.
Aloe mawii	2 meter. Aloe mawii is a neat aloe that does not attract attention until it blooms. The large flowers are shiny red on a horizontal raceme. No frost for this aloe from Malawi.
Aloe plicatilis	5 m. The rosettes of this aloe are fan shaped. The habitat is very small, the mountains of the Western Cape. It receives rain in winter and in summer. Aloe plicatilis grows in the habitat of fynbos and Proteas in acid soil. It will grow in a neutral soil but add plenty humus to make it more acid.

Aloe pretoriensis	stem 1 meter. This is one of the small stem/tree aloes, but probably the aloe with the highest inflorescens.
Aloe pluridens	The new central leaves of the rosette stand up nearly straight, curling down as they grow in a spiral. The racemes resemble the dense flower cone of the popular Aloe arborescens. There is a difference in young plants and older plants of this aloe which might give the impression it is not the same species.
Aloe ramosissima	It resembles Aloe dichotoma without a stem and young trees looks like bonsai A.dichotoma, quite beautiful. Like A. dichotoma it rots very easy. If kept dry Aloe ramosissima is frost resistant.
Aloe rupestris	3m max. 7 m. Most beautiful flowers, yellow with red. A very easy aloe. The stem needs support. In habitat it grows in bushes or next to a tree which gives support. Thus another aloe to plant under that tree where nothing wants to grow.
Aloe thraskii	up to 4m, This is a coastal aloe used to a lot of rain and no frost, but I saw one growing happy in a Namaqualand garden where frost occur. Gardens usually have some spots protection. Aloe thraskii is not difficult but it needs water in a dry climate. It makes lovely hybrids.

Tree aloes and long stem aloes