Consulta Plantas

Care of the succulent plant Aloe ferox or Bitter aloe

The genus Aloe is included in the subfamily Asphodeloideae (family Xanthorrhoeaceae), which comprises about 500 species of succulent plants native to Africa, Madagascar and the Middle East. Some species are: Aloe ferox, Aloe ciliaris, Aloe barberae, Aloe aristata, Aloe arborescens, Aloe aculeata, Aloe juvenna, Aloe variegata, Aloe striata, Aloe vera, Aloe x spinosissima, Aloe mitriformis, Aloe marlothii, Aloe maculata, Aloe plicatilis, Aloe thraskii, Aloe tenuior, Aloe suprafoliata, Aloe esculenta.

Common name: Bitter aloe. This species is native to southern Africa.

They are succulent plants that form a rosette with light green leaves that usually have thorns on the edge (sometimes orange). They produce large inflorescences filled with small tubular reddish flowers.

Bitter aloe is used in gardens as isolated specimens or in small groups. When young they can be grown in pots.

Aloe ferox needs full sun exposure and can resist the cold.

An ideal soil for these plants would be the mixture of 2 parts of chestnut soil and 1 part of siliceous sand.

Water regularly in spring and summer (waiting for the soil to dry); from autumn the watering will be reduced until it is almost eliminated in winter.

Bitter aloe does not need pruning or fertilization.

Aloe ferox is a plant resistant to the common pests and diseases in gardens.

Bitter aloe can be propagated by seeds or by leaf cuttings.

Images of the succulent plant Aloe ferox or Bitter aloe