Fields

Botanical name

Aloe globuligemma

Other names

Knoppiesaalwyn (Afrikaans)

Family 

Asphodelaceae

Dimensions

Often stemless, rosettes around 45 cm tall

Description of stem

Where present, procumbent links of the rosettes clustering in older plants

Description of leaves

Lanceoate blue-grey, smooth and erect leaves, recurving in the last third towards the apex; whitish leaf edges with firm teeth

Description of flowers

Outwardly angled oblique racemes arranged in multibranched panicles of up to 1 m in height; the upturned globose to oblong buds are reddish pink, but become lighter, even white once the perianth is mature and the dark stamens protrude; flowering from June to August

Description of seed/fruit

Description of roots

Variation

Propagation and cultivation

Transplants without difficulty; plants tend to produce suckers; often found in clumps under trees, e.g. acacias, but it flowers better in some direct sunlight

Tolerances

Hardy 

Uses

Attractive, popular garden plant 

Ecological rarity

Common 

Pests and Diseases

Reasonably free from disease and insect damage in areas similar to the distribution region 

Other

Location

Bushveld and lower altitude grassland, warm climate in well-drained, sandy soil

Distribution (SA provinces)

Limpopo, Mpumalanga

Country

South Africa, Zimbabwe