Aloe polyphylla

March 11, 2010

Empire of succulent plants, I am continually surprised by the variety of shapes. The exception is neither genus Aloe, in which small plants are found growing only a few centimeters of its size in contrast to the types of crescent several meters, acquiring massive proportions of trees with typical peak rosettes at the ends of their branches. Among all 125 species of South African species of Aloe Aloe polyphylla excels by its form of growth acts as if it were designed according to strict geometrical rules. This is an alpine species whose occurrence is restricted to steep basalt slopes of the mountains Lesotho, growing at altitudes from 2000 - 2500 meters. Plants create a simple rosette, vynímečně there are divided into clusters of two to three heads. The characteristic distinguishing feature is the spiral arrangement of leaves in rosette. Interestingly, the spiral can be rotating and the counter-clockwise.

Grey-green leaves are long, 30 and 10 cm wide. Another important feature is their raised edges or young plants at the bottom of the folding sheet, which never passes through its center and then drying the tip sheet, which has purple-black color. Flowers appear in September and October, the inflorescence to 60 cm high at the base of the rozvětvujícím to three to eight bunches. Each grape is heavily wrapped tubular flowers, red to pale salmon color.

In his homeland of species found on the eastern side of the mountains in steep gravel pits, and crevices in rocky rubble loosely scattered with large rocks, meadows and pastures, again accompanied by rough rocky gravel. Number of summer rainfall is relatively large and the presence of gravel sloping terrain provides the perfect plant drainage. Temperatures are due to a lower altitude, plants often appear cloudy fog belt is no exception and winter snow cover. In all this we should remember this if we want to maintain a beautiful plant for several years in cultivation.

Of course, that despite the difficulties of cultivation, we bought this beautiful plant in our collection alojek. For safety, two plants, which at that year's winter has paid off. In my own experience I can say that plants meets fine peat substrate mixed in a 1:3 ratio with pumice, which is mixed from two parts pumice powder and three parts of grains with a diameter of 1 - 1.5 cm. Habitat not only for Aloe polyphylla, but for all species of Aloe, we chose the shady courtyard of the basalt pavement, so on hot summer days we zvlčit air while spraying cool tiles, without having sprinkled the plants. Regular watering during summer is performed every 10 days. In winter, Aloe polyphylla in the room with a temperature of around + - 6 ° C, no toppings. It was satisfactory until this year suddenly lost one plant roots. Rosette was left to cut, clean debris from dead and pepper in a bowl and let dry pumice in a cold room with no toppings. It was in mid-December. Now is the beginning of March, rose firmly sits in a bowl, which means that the new roots have formed and grow. I suppose that in the summer again to enforce the plant growing medium. Polyphylla Aloe is a wonderful kind and definitely worth the little effort to create favorable conditions for its growth.

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