Aloe gerstneri |
Asphodelaceae |
Aloe gerstneri can possible be confused with Aloe aculeata, Aloe petricola and Aloe reitzii. The brown marginal teeth and smooth leaf surfaces distinguishes it from Aloe aculeata and Aloe reitzii. Aloe petricola flowers during the winter months and it hass longer racemes than Aloe gerstneri.
Aloe gerstneri is named after the Rev. J. Gerstner who first discovered it in 1931. |
| Common Names: |
isiHlabane |
| Status: |
Considered critically rare due to a small population and decreasing plants. |
| Distribution: |
Aloe gerstneri is found on rocky slopes and outcrops in northern KwaZulu-Natal. |
| Description of Aloe gerstneri: |
| Stem: |
Stems are very short or are completely absent, single rosettes are formed with a rounded appearance. |
| Leaves: |
Leaves are long and quite broad (120mm at the base). Leaves are dull-green in colour, leaf surfaces are both smooth, lef margins armed with sharp widely spaced brown teeth. |
Flower Description : |
| Inflorescence: |
Inflorescences are single in young plants and may be 3 branched in mature plants. Racemes are up to 350mm in length. Racemes are long and narrow and taper to a narrow tip. |
| Flower: |
Flowers are bight orange in colour, they are 30mm in length, tubular and broad in shape. |
| Flowering Time: |
Aloe gerstneri flowers during February and March. |
Cultivation of Aloe gerstneri: |
| Light: |
Full sun. |
| Watering: |
Will tolerate slight overwatering. |
| Frost Protection: |
Required. |
| Notes: |
An attractive specie that thrives in cultivation. |
Picture: Please contact me if you have images I can use. |
