Aloe striatula
Encyclopedia
Aloe striatula is a sturdy climbing aloe that naturally occurs on the summits of mountains along the south of the Karoo
region of South Africa
. Tough and hardy, with orange-yellow flowers, it is a popular plant in gardens around the world.
's Aloe commixta
, but it is easily distinguished from it by the distinctive dark green stripes on the stems and leaf sheathes, and by its thin, recurved leaves (which, like its flowers, are more densely packed). The leaves of striatula are dark green and strongly recurved, with numerous small white teeth along their margins.
The flower
s are orange-to-yellow and appear densely on tall(400mm), un-branched, cone-shaped raceme
s throughout the summer.
The unique Caesia variety of this species - found only around Molteno
in the Eastern Cape
- has milky-green leaves and bright yellow flowers.
region of South Africa
, between the towns of Graaf-reinet and Queenstown in the Eastern Cape
. It is very tough and hardy however and has been planted widely in gardens - in South Africa and around the world.
Although closest to the rare and unique Aloe commixta
of Table Mountain, Aloe striatula is part of a whole group of related climbing aloes that grow throughout Southern Africa, the "Macrifoliae" Aloes
. Other species in this group are: Aloe ciliaris
, Aloe tenuior
, Aloe gracilis
, Aloe juddii
, Aloe decumbens
, and of course commixta and striatula itself.
It will tolerate much colder temperatures than most Aloes, including frost and even some light snow, but it prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
In the Eastern Cape it is often planted along the boundaries of kraals, as it naturally forms a well-shaped and hardy hedge.
Like other climbing aloes, it can easily be propagated by cuttings(truncheons) as well as by seed.
The plant's latin species-name "striatula" means "striped", and refers to the thin dark-green stripes that can be seen on the plant's leaf sheaths.
Karoo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
region of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Tough and hardy, with orange-yellow flowers, it is a popular plant in gardens around the world.
Appearance
Aloe striatula is a robust rambling Aloe that can form a large shrub of up to 2 meters in height. It is closely related to Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
's Aloe commixta
Aloe commixta
Aloe commixta or the Peninsula Rambling Aloe is a rare climbing aloe that is endemic to southwestern South Africa. It naturally occurs only on the Table Mountain range, within the city of Cape Town....
, but it is easily distinguished from it by the distinctive dark green stripes on the stems and leaf sheathes, and by its thin, recurved leaves (which, like its flowers, are more densely packed). The leaves of striatula are dark green and strongly recurved, with numerous small white teeth along their margins.
The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are orange-to-yellow and appear densely on tall(400mm), un-branched, cone-shaped raceme
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
s throughout the summer.
The unique Caesia variety of this species - found only around Molteno
Molteno, Eastern Cape
Molteno is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.It was founded in 1874 and named for Sir John Molteno, the first prime minister of the Cape Colony....
in the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
- has milky-green leaves and bright yellow flowers.
Distribution
Aloe striatula naturally occurs in the mountains of the KarooKaroo
The Karoo is a semi-desert region of South Africa. It has two main sub-regions - the Great Karoo in the north and the Little Karoo in the south. The 'High' Karoo is one of the distinct physiographic provinces of the larger South African Platform division.-Great Karoo:The Great Karoo has an area of...
region of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, between the towns of Graaf-reinet and Queenstown in the Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
. It is very tough and hardy however and has been planted widely in gardens - in South Africa and around the world.
Although closest to the rare and unique Aloe commixta
Aloe commixta
Aloe commixta or the Peninsula Rambling Aloe is a rare climbing aloe that is endemic to southwestern South Africa. It naturally occurs only on the Table Mountain range, within the city of Cape Town....
of Table Mountain, Aloe striatula is part of a whole group of related climbing aloes that grow throughout Southern Africa, the "Macrifoliae" Aloes
Aloe ser. Macrifoliae
Aloe ser. Macrifoliae is a taxonomic series within the genus Aloe, comprising seven closely related species of Southern African climbing aloe. These aloes are typically multi-branched climbing or sprawling shrubs, with long spindly stems and a large woody base on the ground...
. Other species in this group are: Aloe ciliaris
Aloe ciliaris
Aloe ciliaris is a thin, tough, rapidly-growing climbing Aloe from South Africa.-Appearance:They can be differentiated from other climbing aloes by the way that the soft, white, hair-like teeth that grow along the margins of the leaves, extend all the way around the stem, at the base of the...
, Aloe tenuior
Aloe tenuior
Aloe tenuior is a bushy, multi-branched climbing aloe from the grasslands and thickets of the Eastern Cape, Kwazulu Natal and Mpumalanga, South Africa. It is one of the most profusely flowering of all aloes.-Description:...
, Aloe gracilis
Aloe gracilis
Aloe gracilis is a climbing aloe, endemic to the area around the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Its natural range lies just to the west of the related climbing aloe Aloe ciliaris, and it occurs in bushy fynbos and thickets, and clustered on rocky outcrops at all altitudes.-Appearance:Its...
, Aloe juddii
Aloe juddii
Aloe juddii is a newly discovered climbing aloe that is native to a few rocky outcrops and a farm , near to Cape Agulhas in the Western Cape, South Africa....
, Aloe decumbens
Aloe decumbens
Aloe decumbens is a sprawling, rambling aloe that is endemic to the fynbos vegetation of the Langeberg Mountains near Riversdale in the Western Cape, South Africa....
, and of course commixta and striatula itself.
Growing Aloe striatula
One of the hardiest of aloes, which will grow just about anywhere.It will tolerate much colder temperatures than most Aloes, including frost and even some light snow, but it prefers full sun and well-drained soil.
In the Eastern Cape it is often planted along the boundaries of kraals, as it naturally forms a well-shaped and hardy hedge.
Like other climbing aloes, it can easily be propagated by cuttings(truncheons) as well as by seed.
The plant's latin species-name "striatula" means "striped", and refers to the thin dark-green stripes that can be seen on the plant's leaf sheaths.