Soap aloe maculata
This are cuttings with no roots. You will receive a very similar plant to the one in the picture. It may or may not be blooming at the time of your purchase. The plant is shipped with no roots.
The foliage color depends on light intensity; pinkish red in hot sun and bluish-green in part shade. The leaves range in color from red to green, but always have distinctive "H-shaped" spots.
The flowers can range from bright red to gold.
The juice from the leaves is traditionally used as soap by local people.
Plants are damaged by temperatures below 32 °F (0 °C) but recover quickly. In a suitable climate, soap aloes require little attention once established. Aloe maculata is very salt tolerant — a good choice for seaside gardens.
Aloe maculata (and some of its many hybrids) are low-growing and propagate by suckers. If permitted, they form a useful ground cover in arid regions. Its spotted leaves are attractive even when the plants are not in flower, but the flowers produce a fine show for several weeks in summer.
Pollinators, both birds and insects, visit the flowers avidly for nectar and pollen.
Some of the information in this description has been found at desert-tropicals.com, llifle.com and cactus-art.biz
Blooming Season | Late winter to spring |
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Common Name | Soap aloe |
Dormancy | Winter |
Family | Asphodelaceae |
Flower | Orange flowers |
Frost Tolerance | 4.5° c |
Growth Rate | Slow |
Hardiness Zone | 8a to 11b |
Height | 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm) |
Origin | Southern africa |
Pot Size | 3.5" |
Scientific Name | Soap aloe maculata |
Shape | Rosette |
Sun Exposure | Sun to partial shade |