Home»Cactus - Succulents»Information About Aloe
When someone mentions aloe , the first affair that comes to most hoi polloi ’ minds is aloe vera .
This is a disgrace since there are actually over 550 species of aloe , include the colorfulAloe vanbalenii(AL - oh van - bal - EN - electrical engineering - eye ) .
This repeated member of theAsphodelaceae(previouslyAloeaceae ) family is a indigen of KwaZulu - Natal and southeast Mpumalanga in South Africa , as well as persona of Swaziland .
While it ’s most commonly known as van Balen ’s aloe , octopus aloe , or crawling octopus in English , it has several other mutual African names , admit :
The manner in which the plant spreads , its varied colouration ( depending on lighting ) , and burnished flowers make this one aloe you ’ll quickly fall in beloved with .
But perhaps even more important , van Balen ’s aloe does its good to demonstrate that old adage : “ It take an turn of God to kill an aloe works , ” making it a consummate starter works for kids and for adult who lack a green thumb .
Van Balen’s Aloe Care
Size & Growth
This comparatively brusk aloe can turn over a maximum tiptop of about 2 ’ feet and has a spreadhead of up to 4 ’ feet .
While well-nigh stemless , it sends out legion creepers that result in dull groups of evergreen acaulescent little potato .
Its leaves are improbably showy , browse from bright apply green to corrode red , depending on the amount of light it ’s given , and displaying marginal teeth much like its more famous cousin-german .
When damaged , the recurve leave free a musty cinnamon sense of smell .
The mode in which the tenacious leave curl resembles tentacles has lead to its nickname of “ crawling octopus . ”
come to : Why Is My Aloe Plant Turning Yellow ?
Flowering and Fragrance
From later winter until mid - spring , van Balen ’s aloe will produce showy cannular flowers that range from red to pale jet and yellows to orange atop tall 3 ’ foot flower spike .
The plant typically relies on a ambrosia - feeding sunbird for pollenation , so you may not get to enjoy its comestible fruit count on the pollinators in your area .
This fruit is dehiscent , meaning it splits vertically upon reaching maturity , spilling out the come .
Light & Temperature
While van Balen ’s aloe can thrive in anything from full sunshine to partial shade , the type of light will have an impingement on its coloration .
If you want burnished immature leaves , keep the plant in the shade .
Partial sunshine will give this plant life unripe leaves with rusting - red-faced edges .
Meanwhile , the leave will turn completely cerise in full sun .
Outdoors , this plant life will raise in USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11 and is cold hardy down to 25 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Indoors , it will flourish in most rooms without specific temperature want .
The works is rather heat tolerant and can easily stand temperatures of over 100 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Watering and Feeding
During the develop season , allow your aloe to dry 2 to 3 ” inches down from the surface , then give the land a slow , even inebriate until water begins to ooze from the drain hole .
Avoid watering in winter , and do n’t worry if you miss a lacrimation here and there during the summertime , as the plant ’s drouth - tolerant .
This plant can be fertilize with any plant food designed for succulents , applied allot to the program line on the package .
However , it will also still farm ( albeit a bit slower ) without being feast .
Related : More onHow Often To Water Aloe
Well-Drained Soil & Transplanting
As with so many other aloe plant , creeping octopus prefer a fertile , constituent , well - draining dirt but can thrive in just about anything except dense clay soil character .
add together some perlite to avail increase drain and prevent packing .
Acidic dirt works best , but again , this plant can accommodate to even mildly alkaline ground .
Much like its sibling aloe vera , icenalamatshe care deliver room to extend its roots and needs repotting when it becomes theme - resile .
calculate to replace the filth every two years disregardless .
Related : Best Soil For Aloe industrial plant
Grooming And Maintenance
In case you have n’t noticed yet , this is one of those rare plants that need very little care and will still be alive and well if you go on holiday .
No pruning is necessary , although you may select to hit badly damaged leave or deadhead spent bloom for aesthetic design .
How To Propagate Octopus Aloe
There are two major ways to propagate this species : cuttings and seeds .
For thinning , situate a node beneath a leggy foliage and make a clean baseball swing with a sharp , unfertile knife .
Allow the wound to blackleg over for a solar day or two , then dip the node in rooting hormone ( aim for one that ’s design for semi - hardwood ) and put it into a tray filled with a sandy mix .
Keep the cutting off in a greenhouse for about a calendar month , irrigate no more than doubly per week to keep it damp but not wet , as tooth root rot is a high risk of infection for the plantlet .
Once it ’s rooted , transfer the newspaper clipping to a pot filled with a unspoiled succulent or cactus potting mix .
The seed method is likewise introductory .
When the seeds burst from the fruit , clean and dry them .
Germinate seed on a dampish paper towel or inseminate them immediately onto a well - draining soil , spit a thin bed of the dirt on top to cover .
fend off overcrowding the seed and keep temperature between 68 and 70 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Keep the soil moist but not slopped , and germination will usually fall out in about a month .
Crawling Octopus Pests or Diseases
As expected , this aloe is knotty even when bring out to most garden challenge .
Some of these amazing caliber admit :
While not overly cold - tolerant , it can even go a light Robert Frost .
The only pests known to go after this species are mealybugs and other graduated table worm .
It ’s also moderately much resilient against most diseases , with the exception of theme decomposition .
Van Balen ’s aloe is considered mildly toxic to pet .
Aloe VanbaleniiUses
These beautiful flora are corking selection for border , planters , attend pots , rock garden or entry .
They ’re a perfect addition to rockeries and xeriscapes . Its fruit are edible . Octopus aloe also attract honeybee and songbirds .
