Aloe humilis - Spider Aloe - 20 Seed Pack - Indigenous Succulent - Worldwide Shipping, NEW

Aloes are very popular and some of the most rewarding plants to cultivate. They make excellent accent plants owing to their often strange and inspiring architectures, as well as the bright flowers that offset the grey-green leaves. They are also very suitable as container plants and small aloes can be used very effectively as border plants at the edge of a bed. Although aloes are most often included in rockeries, their application in horticulture is not limited to this feature and they can be used in almost any setting and in conjunction with most common garden plants. Their natural adaptation to harsh and often arid climates makes aloes outstanding subjects for the water-wise garden. Aloes can tolerate long periods of drought, but it is not true that watering should be withheld to obtain optimal growth. Aloe is a genus in the Asphodeloideae family containing about 600 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera. The genus is mostly native to Africa with about 125 being indigenous to South Africa.

         
Aloe humilis or Spider Aloe is a variable species and this variation is due to the various growing conditions of its distribution area. The specie name 'humilis' means 'low growing' and refers to the plants growth habit. The leaves are 10cm long, 12-18mm wide, triangular in shape and slightly incurved with a distinct waxy layer present on the surface. Leaf surfaces are covered with irregularly spaced tubercles. Soft white teeth, 2-3mm in length, are present on the leaf margins. Aloe humilis flowers from late winter to early spring.