Aloe saponaria variegata culture?

11 years ago

This is my second Aloe saponaria variegata. I killed the first one last year, probably because I over watered it. Now the second one doesn't look good as well, as it leaves start to 'rot'.
It's winter in Germany now. I keep the aloe in my living room with temperature 20+C and water it a little bit once a month. Could it be that the condition was wrong? Can someone advice me how is the right condition for this Aloe? Thanks a lot!

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Comments (10)

wantonamara Z8 CenTex
11 years ago
What is your soil like? They are more water tolerant normally, or the non variegated ones are.
woodnative
11 years ago
I am in temperate NJ in the USA. I have not had problems with this.......In the winter I have one on a sunny windowsill and another close to fluorescent lights in a warm room. A third is in my office on the windowsill and gets just a little bit of morning sun. The windowill plants get pretty cold, especially on a cold night. I only water either of them on the morning of sunny days so that there is no water on the leaves at night. They are in clay pots. Other than good light this plant is not too fussy.
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I say clearly because the flower stalk characteristic also closely resembles A. maculata, there is some subdued spotting of the foliage, and the general character of the plant foliage resembles A. maculata in size, with the A. striata influence shown primarily on the leaf edges which have a trace of the characteristic that A. striata is known for. No doubt that the other Aloe species you mention can also hybridize with A. striata, but the flowers would not so closely resemble A. maculata. Whether this hybrid was imported from South Africa, where it undoubtedly also occurs both naturally and in gardens, or occurred here in California and got into the trade, I don't know for sure; possibly both occurred. As both A. maculata and A. striata are very common here in California, and hybridize easily, I am betting that the majority of plants in gardens did hybridize here, and because A. maculata and its hybrid with A. striata form clumps so quickly, it became a "pass over the garden fence amongst neighbors" sort of plant. Finally, I base my deduction of what this plant is on visual observation of it looking so similar to the 1000's of A. maculata/striata hybrids that one sees almost everywhere here in Berkeley/Oakland this time of year, when it might seem that every other garden has some in bloom. They really are that common here locally. On the other hand, finding different color forms of pure Aloe maculata and its subspecies can be much more difficult. There are some really nice dwarfer tangerine colored blooming A. maculata at the UCBBG(Berkeley Botanic Garden) in bloom right now, that don't seem to be in the trade locally. I also like the yellow blooming form of A. maculata that I have, and go out of my way to collect different color forms as I come across them. Another Aloe species of similar hardiness that I would recommend seeking out, is A. buhrii, which is another clumping Aloe with altogether different character of blooms which is so stunning this time of year here.
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Thanks woodnative! That makes me glad to hear it! Mari11-- oh that is certainly encouraging. I am glad you posted your experience! Makes me feel excited lol. Cactusmharris-- oh interesting-- I must have always just missed her! I wonder where in the country she is. the NW corner is Mediterranean in climate, whereas the rest of the country is desert. So I'd get about twice the rain as most of the places. That's great since mostly people cannot afford to irrigate and rely on rainwater. Your hedge sounds so lovely! The winter rains in Jordan are associated with cool/cold temps... with the average minimum at 41. My husband says it does freeze about once every 10 years, but never has it gotten below 32 in anyone's memory. And that freeze is just a few hours in the early morning. They get all their rain Nov-May, and in that area it's about 16-19 inches. It's enough that they don't need to irrigate even the summer crops as long as they start them in the rainy season-- like tomatoes and such. I was reading about people's watering habits of A. arborescens in San Juan Capistrano, and they mentioned watering deeply maybe once every month or so in the summer. I noticed they get half the rain we would. I'll have to play it by ear, but it looks really promising. This thread has made my day LOL.
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hankeat
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the answers. I grow it in normal soil for cactus. Probably I should mix some pumice with the soil. Moreover I put it quite close to heater. Probably I should move it away.
lzrddr
11 years ago
i have noticed this plant is very unhappy about water on its crown, so be sure when you water it you don't get the plant itself wet. I have lost several to crown rot in cooler times, but since I have stopped watering these so carelessly I have not lost any. As for their roots, they seem to tolerate quite a bit of water (I don't lose any of these that get completely soaked in winter when it rains for weeks... so rainwater at least seems relatively harmless.
hankeat
Original Author
11 years ago
This species is troublesome. I have Aloe arborescens variegata and Aloe nobilis variegata too. I give all of them the same condition and avoid to wet their leaves and crowns, when I water them, but only this one has problem.
Yesterday I moved it far away from the heater. Today I saw its crown already rot. I won't buy this aloe any more, as two of them cost me 40 Euro. A painful experience.
cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
11 years ago
If you plant them at an angle, so that the growing crown is on a bias and cannot collect water, you'll have better results in not getting crown rot.

Two of them for 40 Euros - wow, I wish I knew that when I had access to a lot of them - I could have made enough to afford a trip to South Africa.
lzrddr
11 years ago
here is one of mine I still have yet to rot
cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
11 years ago
Geoff,

Isn't that just a gorgeous rosette, and you had it detailed too, I see.
hankeat
Original Author
11 years ago
@lzrddr: you have a beautiful one!
@cactusmcharris: The new species in USA are sold at very high price in Europe. I bought few of them. Normally they are sold in USA just for few dollars, but I paid 20 to 30 Euro for a plant. I think the sellers there have problems importing plants because of the law. Besides probably it is also due to the expensive US Phytosanitary Certificate.
lzrddr
11 years ago
nothing like a little rain for detailing a plant

Aloe saponaria variegata culture?

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Aloe saponaria variegata culture?

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wantonamara Z8 CenTex

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