An Unexpected Surprise

[DiCasS]

It just shows how much notice I take, when the winds were forecast I was moving pots around and noticed this on my Aloe Arborescens It normally spends the Winter months in the greenhouse but this year it's come into the conservatory. I always feel as if I post doom and gloom, so decided to share a bit of happiness for a change.

Just the start, but it's there and is a first for me.

Di

[Yorkshire Kris]

Very nice to see.

[Springy]

How tall is it Di?
I'll have to check mine tomorrow now but it's only about 18" tall so I'm not sure if it is at an old enough stage to flower yet?!

[fern Rob]

What colour are the flowers?

[GREVILLE]

Got a very old one of those, multi-branched and six feet tall but never had a flower.

[kata]

Well done Di!!

[DiCasS]

Thanks Kris, Kata

Springy, I guess mine is about the same size as yours I would say, that is why I was a bit surprised to see it flowering, but glad it's decided to. Maybe yours will pretty much soon - it's always nice when something flowers for the first time.

I've had it a few years and in the Spring of 2010 (think this was the year) I nearly lost it to rot and had to take the top off and repot.

Greville, I'd love to own one as big as yours and be able to grow it outside. (I'm guessing it's outside being so big???) Mine hasn't even got an offshoot, I don't fuss over it so much, so no idea why it's decided to flower now and at such a small size.

It should be red Rob.

Here's a pic of the full plant for size.

Di

[GREVILLE]

That shapely, pristine specimen will probably branch/divide after flowering, Di.

I had an unexpected surprise today with mine. I discovered that Monday's storm blew my variegated houseplant Yucca in a heavy clay pot off the wall and onto the Aloe below and the big leading shoot was broken. It looks OK now that I've cut away the damaged top and thinned a few more branches away to restore its appearance.

I grow it in a clay container and it stays in a sheltered sunny spot for much of the winter. It escapes light frosts where it's sited but gets hauled into the garage only when moderate frosts are forecast.

My wife gave me hers to look after when we got married twenty-eight years ago but it died in the February 1991 freeze. My current Aloe was a cutting from this plant taken two years before so it's now twenty-four years old and been in the same container for a good ten years.

[JoelR]

I have a couple of aloes that have flowered and once they got to flowering age/size, they tend to flower every year. My A. striatula planted out flowered for the first time this year

[paulrm71]

My aloe mitriformis also flowered for the first time this year as well!!

[DiCasS]

Shame about the top being damaged Greville, I would have been gutted Small consolation but an ideal opportunity to make new plants if you wanted. Perhaps this knock on the head will kick it into action, you deserve a flower after 24 years

I wondered about it making new plants/branches, so I should see some in the near future thanks.

I've only ever tried a few Aloes, less than on one hand, but I did try the Striatula in the ground here, the only one I've tried in the ground, and it lasted less than two years for me before fading away. I did read somewhere that they are hardy to quite a few degrees??? Can't remember when it was I tried, could have been during the colder recent Winters.

Great news both on your first timers, it's a buzz

Di

[GREVILLE]

Di, I have seen 'colonies' of these in California (Huntington, I think?) which were in full bloom and from a distance it was breathtaking but when you got close to, only a small proportion of stems were actually flowering. I have a feeling these are not a ready flowerer and to get one on a single stem as you have is quite rare.

I have plenty of other Aloes, some mentioned on this thread, that flower regularly.

[pdid]

That's a cracking specimen Di, well done!

[DiCasS]

Thanks for the info Greville, and now you mention it I've also seen non or near non-flowering big plants of these, I'd quite forgotten until you jogged my memory

Thanks also Pdid. I can't even claim I've looked after it well, it's just been there with absolute minimum of attention from me.

The flower stalk is about 8 inches ish now and will take a photo when it blooms.

Sorry for the delay in posting.

Di