The last of the aloes

As we approach the end of March, aloe flowering season is winding down. Even though the peak is behind us, there’s still plenty to see – and a few aloes are just now gearing up to bloom.

This post is a collection of photos I took over the last few weeks. We’ve had the most beautiful spring weather, perfect for gardening and for greenhouse building. But the warm and sunny days also accelerated the demise of the aloe flowers that had been hanging on. Maybe I should reward my aloes with a bit of fertilizer now so they’ll be in great shape for next year’s bloom season!

Aloe × spinosissima at the base of the ponytail palm trio

Aloe × spinosissima (right), with Oscularia caulescens (pink-flowering, left)

Aloe aculeata × esculenta. The flowers belong to the bluish plant at the bottom even though it looks like they come from the one on top (Aloe lukeana).

↷ My favorite aloe this season has been a hybrid called ‘Maui Gem’, a cross between Aloe mawii and Aloe globuligemma. Like its parents, it has horizontal racemes, which gives it a very special look.

Back to front, left to right: Aloe ‘Maui Gem’, Hechtia ‘Wildfire’; Hechtia stenopetala; Agave ‘Cornelius’ and a newly moved Aloe pulcherrima

Aloe ‘Maui Gem’ and Hechtia ‘Wildfire’ make an awesome pairing

Hechtia ‘Wildfire’ looks particularly stunning this year, with a deep merlot color

Aloe ‘Maui Gem’ flower closeup

↷ After missing last year, our Aloe alooides is flowering again this year. Its species name is a bit silly (“alooides” means aloe-like), but the spike-like inflorescences are standouts because they’re so different from most aloes. With many densely packed flowers, there’s a lot of nectar. The bees go crazy over it.

Aloe alooides with two inflorescences

The nectar of this species is dark brown

It took a few tries, but I finally got a good photo of a bee deep inside a flower

↷ Lots more to see in the sidewalk bed:

Aloe excelsa flowering for the first time since I rescued it from near death two years ago

Aloe cameronii

Aloe ‘Tangerine’ is almost done flowering, but Leucadendron ‘Jester’ proves that you don’t need flowers to be colorful

Aloe bulbilifera hybrid on the left, Aloe marlothii × zubb in the middle, Aloe ‘Moonglow’ on the right. Notice the giant fennel (Ferula communis) has all but buried Agave ‘Ripple Express’ and Aloidendron ‘Hercules’ × ramosissimum. The leaves are temporary; the plant goes dormant in the summer.

Aloe marlothii × zubb

Last hurrah in the sidewalk bed

Aloe wickensii

Aloe ‘Erik the Red’

↷ Two Aloe peglerae hybrids made by Brent Wigand flowered for the first time:

Aloe peglerae × mawii

Aloe peglerae × ferox (white-flowering ferox), aka Aloe ‘Unicorn’

↷ The last set of aloe flowers are from hybrids made by the ever creative Nick Deinhart. All of them are part Aloe humilis, a small species with wonderfully bumpy leaves.

Aloe (humilis × pratensis) × aculeata

Aloe humilis × ferox (white-flowering form)

Aloe humilis × peglerae

↷ A couple of aloes just now pushing inflorescences:

Aloe humilis × pratensis (another Nick Deinhart hybrid)

Aloe laeta hybrid make by Brian Kemble, the curator of the Ruth Bancroft Garden

↷ Speaking of coming attractions, the first wave of cactus flowers is only a few weeks away:

Echinocereus rigidissimus var. rubispinus

Echinopsis ‘Flying Saucer’

I love that there’s always something to look forward to in the garden!

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