Month: June 2020

Aloe divaricata

Madagascar is home to a number of tall Aloe species and this is one of them. It may either form a 2-6 m tall single-stemmed tree or a more or less open shrub; it is fast-growing and very common on sandy soil in dry shrubby vegetation in the western, south-western and southern parts of the island. The leaves are collected for medicinal purposes.

The dull blue-green to red leaves are erect (or somewhat hanging down in very dry conditions) and to a meter long and 7 cm wide at the base.
The flowers are arranged in much-branched inflorescences up to a meter high and appear from March to December, but mainly in August and September. They are coral red (pale red in var. rosea).

With Alluaudia comosa

Jordaaniella (Cephalophyllum) spongiosa (volstruisvygie, olifantsvy)

In “NAMAQUALAND, a succulent desert” by Cowling and Pierce, this species is described as “perhaps  Namaqualand’s showiest vygie” and that is saying a good deal. As it is also easy to grow, it makes a great garden subject in a suitable climate. It is widespread and common in its natural habitat, the sandy soil of Namaqualand’s coastal plain.

The plants are either creeping and rooting from the nodes, or forming a shrub up to 35 cm high, especially when there are other shrubs around to support them.
The branches are up to 1 cm across and the somewhat finger-shaped leaves may be up to 11 cm long.
In August – October, the plants produce spectacular flowers up to 10 cm across, pink to orange to red with a yellow to orange base. They are visited by several species of insects (see last picture) and have unusually high numbers of petals (230-270) and stamens (700-1050). The same goes for the number of compartments in the fruit (18-28).