Aloe polyphylla
I discover the inconstant nature of the plant world fascinating. I’ve by no means checked out a rose and wished that the entire leaves grew equally spaced like some AI-generated image of nature.
Or {that a} Japanese maple was completely symmetrical. I believe the irregular gaps in a ginkgo tree that allow the daylight shine by way of are simply as stunning because the densely packed branches and I wouldn’t want them away.
However the exact association of the leaves of spiral aloe (Aloe polyphylla) displays the unbelievable complexity of the pure phrase. There’s one thing so satisfying about its geometric form.
I say “one thing,” however little doubt its pleasing association speaks to the innately interesting form of the golden ratio and Fibonacci sequence present in nature.
The “golden ratio” is a mathematical ratio the place one portion is strictly half the size of the longer portion.
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This ratio is related to magnificence and concord and is echoed in artifical artwork and structure. The Fibonacci sequence illustrates this ratio.
It’s onerous to discover a plant that extra clearly illustrates these ideas in nature than the evenly-spaced progress sample of spiral aloe.
Now, clearly, I’d by no means play favorites with my succulents any greater than a guardian would declare they’ve a favourite little one.
However the many-leaved aloe, because it’s additionally identified, is unquestionably on the high of my listing. If I may solely save one succulent in my backyard, you understand which one I’m choosing.
On this information, I’ll provide you with some goal info about caring for this hanging plant, however I’m not going to try to fake that I’m not utterly obsessed by it!
Right here’s what we’ll focus on, sprinkled with a lot of admiration:
I don’t learn about you, however I like realizing the historical past of the crops I develop. Typically it helps me perceive extra about easy methods to look after them, and typically it’s simply fascinating info.
So earlier than we begin digging into care, let’s take a look at the way it acquired from its African residence to our houses and gardens.
What Is Spiral Aloe?
In the event you head to the cool, moist mountains of Lesotho in southern Africa at elevations from about 6,500 to eight,500 toes, you’ll discover spiral aloes rising on the basalt cliffs, slopes, and rocky areas within the Drakensberg and Maluti mountain ranges.
That’s the one place in the entire world the place they are often discovered indigenously, although they’ve naturalized in areas with comparable climates.
The crops solely develop in spots that face in direction of the equator and are persistently moist, with wealthy soil.
Sadly, the plant has been overharvested within the wild and is now uncommon in its authentic residence.
On high of that, the malachite sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) that helps pollinate this aloe within the wild is experiencing a discount in numbers, which doesn’t assist the state of affairs.
The species identify polyphylla means many-leaved. Poly is Greek for a lot of, and phylla is Greek for leaves, which is becoming for this plant. It doesn’t have a stem however as an alternative a lot of thick, succulent, pointed leaves.
5 rows on every plant, to be actual, and every row can have as much as 30 leaves.
These spirals regularly broaden clockwise or counter-clockwise to type these 5 rows of fats, gray-green, serrated leaves with purple spiky suggestions.
At maturity, which may take as much as a decade, the plant sends up a thick, tall, branched inflorescence with yellow, purple, or salmon flowers. As soon as these fade, seeds develop.
A mature plant may also begin to cut up. I believe it’s tremendous fascinating when this occurs, as a result of as an alternative of 1 single origin level of the spiral, the aloe will develop two origin factors the place the spiraling rows emerge from.
You’ll be able to separate these or depart them in place and the plant will ultimately divide itself in two.
These crops can attain between three and 4 toes extensive and a foot tall earlier than they start to separate.
As a result of they’re from a comparatively cool a part of the world, A. polyphylla can tolerate cooler temperatures than many different aloe species. They’re hardy in Zones 7 to 11.
Spiral Aloe Propagation
I first noticed this plant because the background of a pal’s laptop display screen and I used to be smitten.
I went on a mission to seek out one in every of my very own and it took a very long time. After all, this was a long time in the past and there have been fewer choices on the market.
Today, a lot of retailers carry reside crops and when you have entry to a mature plant you’ll be able to harvest seeds.
Many aloes ship out pups or offsets, and you may propagate these. Spiral aloe is technically able to placing out offsets, however it’s not frequent and so they don’t appear to outlive nicely after transplanting.
In the event you do have some offsets that you simply’d prefer to transplant, learn our information for suggestions.
Not like many succulents, you’ll be able to’t propagate the leaves of spiral aloe.
In the event you’re fortunate sufficient to have entry to a reside plant or a good seed vendor, learn on to be taught extra about beginning these crops from seed.
From Seed
You’ll be able to propagate spiral aloe from seed, however remember that some on-line sellers will mislabel the seeds. Search for respected sellers who present examined and confirmed seeds.
Even respected sellers might typically have seeds that produce crops which are “confused.” Which means the leaf sequence gained’t develop within the sample you’re anticipating.
They may be stacked or staggered reasonably than spiraled. Some crops will right their progress as they mature.
Since these crops hardly ever flower in cultivation, sourcing viable seeds might be tough.
It’s worthwhile to floor sow the seeds and preserve them in temperatures between 60 to 70°F. The medium must be saved moist always. Wait till the plant has a minimum of six true leaves earlier than transplanting.
To be taught extra about easy methods to begin aloe from seed, learn our complete information.
From Divisions
As talked about, spiral aloes naturally start to separate into two crops as they age.
You’ll be able to make the most of this phenomenon to divide your plant into multiples. As soon as the plant has cut up and has two distinct factors of origin within the spirals, you’ll be able to cut up it up.
To do that, you’ll dig up the plant and brush away the soil. Search for the spot the place the crops are separating and gently tease them aside. Then, replant every part.
Learn our information to dividing aloe for extra recommendation.
I like to recommend you put on lengthy sleeves and gloves when working with this plant as a result of the factors on the leaves could cause harm.
From Transplants
Watch out about the place you buy your plant, as whereas it’s unlawful to reap them from the wild, poachers nonetheless take away them and provide them on the market.
Make sure that your vendor is sourcing them from a good grower.
When they’re younger, the crops don’t but have the distinct spiral formation.
This comes with age, so don’t panic if the one you discover on the retailer or obtain within the mail doesn’t appear to be the gracefully spiraling ones you see in footage. That may include time.
When you have got your plant, both seize a pot about the identical dimension or one dimension up from the present rising container.
Or if you’re planning to develop your specimen outside, dig a gap within the backyard in regards to the dimension of the rising container.
When you’ve got considerably heavy soil, dig a gap thrice the width and twice the depth of the container, and work in equal components well-rotted compost into the eliminated filth.
You too can add some lava rock or perlite to facilitate drainage. Backfill the outlet with the combination, leaving a small gap the scale of the rising container for planting.
Gently take away the plant from its pot by squeezing the perimeters, letting the soil fall away from across the plant’s roots.
Fill the brand new container with a succulent potting combine in order that the spiral aloe will probably be sitting on the similar peak it was within the earlier container.
Set the plant in place and fill in across the roots with extra succulent potting combine, or soil in case you’re transplanting into the backyard.
Gently press the medium or soil and add extra if obligatory.
How you can Develop Spiral Aloe
Spiral aloe wants a full to partial solar location to thrive. It prefers coolish climates, so in case you reside someplace with very excessive temperatures, plant it someplace with afternoon shade to guard it from the most well liked time of the day.
In case you are rising yours as a houseplant, present 4 to 6 hours of direct solar per day. Which means a south- or west-facing window is right.
These crops do their rising when temperatures are between 50 to 80°F, however they will tolerate a freeze.
In the event you reside in Zone 7, you may wish to cowl the plant in frost fabric if it isn’t lined in snow, simply to be secure.
Don’t overwater your spiral aloe. I’m telling you, overwatering will shortly lead to root rot, and it occurs to so many aloes and different succulents.
Let the bottom or potting medium dry out utterly between watering. Every time earlier than you water, stick a finger within the soil. It ought to really feel dry as deep as you’ll be able to attain.
Within the winter, the plant goes semi-dormant and requires even much less water than it does throughout the rising season. Let the soil dry out for every week or two earlier than you water once more.
In the event you’re rising outside, add some perlite or lava rock to the soil to assist loosen it up.
For container-growing, select a well-draining succulent or cactus medium.
Alternatively, you’ll be able to make your individual succulent potting combine. Spiral aloe prefers barely acidic to impartial soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0.
I like Tank’s-Professional Cactus & Succulent Combine, with its good combination of pumice, coco chips, and natural compost.
Tank’s-Professional Cactus & Succulent Combine
Arbico Organics carries this combine in one-and-a-half cubic foot baggage.
Talking of containers, select one that’s produced from wooden, ceramic, or terra cotta to forestall the soil from overheating. If the soil temperature rises above 80°F it may kill your aloe.
The final word dimension of the container will have to be extraordinarily massive in order for you your aloe to spiral out as massive as it might probably.
Relying on the scale of the specimen you can begin it in a smaller container, clearly, however you’ll ultimately must improve to one thing doubtlessly as massive as a half barrel that may maintain over 20 gallons of soil to accommodate a mature plant. This will occur in about seven years.
Containers are a superb possibility for these of us who’ve heavy, clay soil in our gardens.
Don’t feed out of doors crops. These rising indoors might be fed as soon as within the spring with a slow-release cactus fertilizer or as soon as in spring, summer season, and fall with a normal fertilizer. Don’t use granular fertilizer.
Dr. Earth has a superb cactus and succulent meals made out of grocery store meals scrap waste in a handy pump container.
Dr. Earth Succulence
You could find Dr. Earth Succulence in 16-ounce bottles at Arbico Organics.
Study extra about easy methods to fertilize aloe in our information.
Don’t count on the distinctive spiral sample to develop till the plant has 45 leaves – 5 rows of seven leaves. That’s when the sample turns into apparent.
Rising Ideas
- Develop in full solar with afternoon shade in sizzling climates.
- Permit the soil to dry out utterly between watering.
- Feed in spring with a slow-release meals or as soon as in spring, summer season, and fall with a normal meals.
Upkeep
If any of the leaves change into diseased, flip yellow or brown, or break, don’t take away them.
Wait till they dry up and detach naturally. Pulling or chopping off broken or discolored leaves could cause extra hurt than good.
I do know it’s not fairly, however resist the urge to get in there and clear issues up till the leaf might be pulled away with out having to tug it.
Consider spiral aloe because the anti-maintenance plant. Give it the circumstances it prefers and let it’s.
As your aloe grows and reaches the sides of its container, you’ll wish to repot your aloe into a bigger pot.
Take away the plant from its container, discard all the surplus soil, and put a layer of cactus and succulent potting medium within the new container.
Set the plant in place and fill in across the roots with extra potting medium.
The place to Purchase
This plant has been overharvested within the wild and is at risk of extinction.
Be tremendous cautious when buying and be sure you discover a respected vendor that doesn’t promote poached crops or seeds.
You’ll possible discover spiral aloe accessible at specialty nurseries, particularly these that concentrate on succulents and xeriscaping.
Managing Pests and Illness
Careworn spiral aloe crops are extra prone to issues, notably from pests, than these which are glad.
Preserving the plant in the fitting circumstances and offering the fitting care will go a great distance in direction of avoiding issues with pests and illness.
That mentioned, even the perfect cared-for plant can face points. Let’s speak about just a few pests that like to snack on spiral aloe.
Pests
Aloe mites are devastating pests that do loads of injury and are not possible to eradicate. Let’s speak about these, first.
Aloe Mites
A detailed relative of spider mites, aloe mites (Eriophyes aloines) infest the highest of the roots of aloe crops the place the leaves emerge.
After they feed, they trigger the plant to break down, which may usually be mistaken for root rot, which we’ll focus on under. The larvae can solely be seen with a magnifying glass, so it may be onerous to inform they’re current.
You’ll must examine the roots to see in the event that they’re rotting and search for the grownup mites, which you’ll be able to see crawling round in case you use a hand lens.
If the plant has a mite infestation, there is no such thing as a treatment and also you’ll must get rid of the plant to forestall the mites from spreading.
Aphids
Whereas there might be a number of totally different aphid species that feed on aloes, aloe vera aphid (Aloephagus myersi) is the foremost participant in California and Florida.
They haven’t but been reported outdoors of those areas on the time of writing.
Whatever the species, all aphids are sapsucking bugs that cluster and feed on plant tissue.
They like to cover in protected areas, which makes it onerous to identify them on spiral aloes, as a result of there are such a lot of nooks and crannies in between the leaves.
Greater than possible, it’s the injury you’ll see reasonably than the pests themselves. As they use their sucking mouthparts, they drain sap, leaving speckled yellowing on the leaves.
You may additionally see sticky honeydew, which is actually aphid poop, and the darkish, black fungus known as sooty mould that’s drawn to the honeydew.
In case your specimen has an aphid infestation, you’ll must saturate the plant in insecticidal cleaning soap as soon as each few weeks, taking care to get into the folds in between the leaves.
Bonide Insecticidal Tremendous Cleaning soap
I like to make use of Bonide Insecticidal Tremendous Cleaning soap, which is accessible from Arbico Organics in quart-sized, ready-to-spray bottles. Comply with the producer’s instructions for software.
Springtails
Springtails are tiny bugs that feed on fungi and decaying roots within the soil.
They want excessive moisture within the soil to thrive, in order that they shouldn’t normally be an issue in case you’re letting the soil dry out utterly.
They don’t normally trigger a lot injury, however their presence is a sign that the circumstances are all improper in your spiral aloe.
Cut back watering or cowl your plant if it’s the wet season. If you right the surroundings, the springtail downside will remedy itself.
Illness
Root rot is a standard and lethal downside in all sorts of aloes. It has two causes. The primary is solely drowning the roots in a lot water that they will’t breathe.
The opposite is fungal pathogens within the Fusarium genus, that are drawn to moist soil. Both manner, an excessive amount of water is the principle driver.
When root rot units in, the guidelines of the leaves will flip black. The roots will probably be brown, delicate, and mushy. In the event you suspect root rot, take away the plant from the container and spray off the soil from the roots.
Really feel the roots and take away any which are utterly mushy. People who really feel a bit of agency can normally be saved.
Scrape off any lifeless materials from the surface of the roots utilizing a knife. You wish to reveal the agency, yellow tissue beneath.
Replant and don’t water once more till you’ll be able to gently wiggle the plant and it stays in place reasonably than wobbling, indicating it has developed new roots.
Study extra about root rot in our information.
Finest Makes use of for Spiral Aloe
You don’t want a couple of spiral aloe to make a huge impact, however you possibly can definitely group three or 5 for a wow issue.
In any other case, let it take centerstage in a succulent backyard. You’ll be able to develop it inside as a houseplant when you have sufficient gentle or outdoors in a container.
Fast Reference Rising Information
| Plant Kind: | Evergreen succulent | Flower / Foliage Colour: | Salmon pink, purple, yellow/ inexperienced |
| Native to: | Lesotho | Water Wants: | Low |
| Hardiness (USDA Zone): | 7-11 | Upkeep | Low |
| Bloom Time: | Spring/summer season | Tolerance: | Freeze, drought |
| Publicity: | Full solar to partial solar | Soil Kind: | Unfastened, succulent potting combine |
| Spacing: | 3 toes | Soil pH: | 5.5-7.0 |
| Planting Depth: | Similar depth as authentic container | Soil Drainage: | Effectively-draining |
| Peak: | 1 foot | Makes use of: | Containers, rock gardens, xeric gardens |
| Time to Maturity: | As much as 10 years | Household: | Asphodelaceae |
| Progress Fee: | Gradual-moderate | Genus: | Aloe |
| Widespread Pests and Illnesses: | Mealybugs, scale; root rot | Species: | Polyphylla |
Nature’s Structure at its Most interesting
Spiral aloe is hanging. I see individuals use images of this plant as a wallpaper on their telephones and computer systems.
It’s commonly used for example of the Fibonacci sequence. A. polyphylla is a kind of crops that appears so good and strange that it’s onerous to consider it’s actual.
What do you’re keen on about spiral aloe? Is it the symmetry? What’s drawing you to this plant and the way will you employ it? Tell us within the feedback!
And for extra details about rising aloe, add these guides to your studying listing subsequent: