Typical inflorescence of the bitter aloe, with up to eight erect, cylindrical, symmetrical racemes.
Spines on the inner side of a leaf
Large bitter aloe in flower.
Aloe ferox is a tall, single-stemmed aloe, that can grow to 10 feet (3.0 m) in height. Its leaves are thick and fleshy, arranged in rosettes, and have reddish-brown spines on the margins with smaller spines on the upper and lower surfaces. The leaf surfaces of young plants are covered in spines; however, as they get taller and less vulnerable to grazing, the leaves begin to lose most of their spines except for those along the leaf margins. Plants in the western part of its natural range tend to keep more of their leaf surface spines.
Its flowers are a uniform orange or red, and stand between 2 and 4 feet (0.61 and 1.22 m) above the leaves, in multi-branched inflorescences.[5]
It is a variable species, and plants may differ physically from area to area, due to local conditions. This aloe is frequently confused with the related Aloe excelsa species, to the north, and they do look very similar when fully grown. However the flowers are different, with the racemes of Aloe excelsa being far shorter and slightly curved.
Altogether, the bitter aloe can be distinguished from its closest relatives: by its more compact, erect leaves with 6mm reddish-brown teeth on the margins and also on the keel of the leaf near the leaf tip; by their erect candelabra inflorescences, which bear up to eight very dense, cylindrical, symmetrical, 50–80 cm racemes; and by their un-curved, tubular flowers with brown inner segment tips.[4]
Distribution and habitat
Its large natural range forms a near-continuous band across the southern Cape, from Swellendam and the Overberg District in the west, throughout almost the whole extent of the Eastern Cape Province, eastwards as far as southern KwaZulu-Natal, and northwards into the southern parts of the Free State and Lesotho.
Within this range it can usually be found in rocky areas - on hills, in grassy fynbos and on the edges of the Karoo.[5]
Cultivation
Aloe ferox is known by several names - most commonly as the bitter aloe, but also as the Cape aloe,[4][2]red aloe[5] and tap aloe.
Aloe ferox plants are propagated mainly from seed and head cuttings, with plants sowed with approximately one meter separations. From seed, it takes about 4 to 5 years for the plants to reach the first harvest. At the time of harvest, each leaf weighs about 1.5 kg to 2 kg. Aloe ferox prefers dry-tropical climates, open areas, sandy-loamy soils, full sun, and moderate watering with a good drainage system.
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aloe ferox.
^"The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species".
^ ab. Aloe Ferox Africa. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
^"Aloe ferox, African Flowering Plants Database". South African National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
^ abc"Aloe ferox". Floridata. from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
^ abcd"Aloe ferox Mill". PlantZAfrica.com. from the original on 7 May 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
March 05, 2023
aloe, ferox, commonly, known, bitter, aloe, species, flowering, plant, family, asphodelaceae, this, woody, aloe, indigenous, southern, africa, several, aloe, species, used, make, bitter, aloes, purgative, medication, also, yields, bitter, that, used, cosmetics. Aloe ferox commonly known as bitter aloe is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae This woody aloe is indigenous to southern Africa 2 3 It is one of several Aloe species used to make bitter aloes a purgative medication 4 and also yields a non bitter gel that can be used in cosmetics 5 Aloe feroxAloe ferox on the R61 route between Cofimvaba and Ngcobo Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade MonocotsOrder AsparagalesFamily AsphodelaceaeSubfamily AsphodeloideaeGenus AloeSpecies A feroxBinomial nameAloe feroxMill Synonyms 1 Aloe candelabrum A Berger nom illeg Aloe galpinii Baker Aloe horrida Haw Aloe muricata Haw Aloe pallancae Guillaumin nom inval Aloe perfoliata var ferox Mill Aiton Aloe pseudoferox Salm Dyck Aloe subferox Spreng Aloe supralaevis Haw Busipho ferox Mill Salisb nom inval Pachidendron ferox Mill Haw Pachidendron pseudoferox Salm Dyck Haw Pachidendron supralaeve Haw Haw Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Cultivation 4 See also 5 ReferencesDescription Edit Typical inflorescence of the bitter aloe with up to eight erect cylindrical symmetrical racemes Spines on the inner side of a leaf Large bitter aloe in flower Aloe ferox is a tall single stemmed aloe that can grow to 10 feet 3 0 m in height Its leaves are thick and fleshy arranged in rosettes and have reddish brown spines on the margins with smaller spines on the upper and lower surfaces The leaf surfaces of young plants are covered in spines however as they get taller and less vulnerable to grazing the leaves begin to lose most of their spines except for those along the leaf margins Plants in the western part of its natural range tend to keep more of their leaf surface spines Its flowers are a uniform orange or red and stand between 2 and 4 feet 0 61 and 1 22 m above the leaves in multi branched inflorescences 5 It is a variable species and plants may differ physically from area to area due to local conditions This aloe is frequently confused with the related Aloe excelsa species to the north and they do look very similar when fully grown However the flowers are different with the racemes of Aloe excelsa being far shorter and slightly curved Altogether the bitter aloe can be distinguished from its closest relatives by its more compact erect leaves with 6mm reddish brown teeth on the margins and also on the keel of the leaf near the leaf tip by their erect candelabra inflorescences which bear up to eight very dense cylindrical symmetrical 50 80 cm racemes and by their un curved tubular flowers with brown inner segment tips 4 Distribution and habitat EditIts large natural range forms a near continuous band across the southern Cape from Swellendam and the Overberg District in the west throughout almost the whole extent of the Eastern Cape Province eastwards as far as southern KwaZulu Natal and northwards into the southern parts of the Free State and Lesotho Within this range it can usually be found in rocky areas on hills in grassy fynbos and on the edges of the Karoo 5 Cultivation EditAloe ferox is known by several names most commonly as the bitter aloe but also as the Cape aloe 4 2 red aloe 5 and tap aloe Aloe ferox plants are propagated mainly from seed and head cuttings with plants sowed with approximately one meter separations From seed it takes about 4 to 5 years for the plants to reach the first harvest At the time of harvest each leaf weighs about 1 5 kg to 2 kg Aloe ferox prefers dry tropical climates open areas sandy loamy soils full sun and moderate watering with a good drainage system See also Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aloe ferox Succulent plant List of Aloe species List of Southern African indigenous trees and woody lianesReferences Edit The Plant List A Working List of All Plant Species a b The Aloe ferox Plant Aloe Ferox Africa Archived from the original on 2011 07 07 Retrieved 14 May 2009 Aloe ferox African Flowering Plants Database South African National Biodiversity Institute Retrieved 14 May 2009 a b c Aloe ferox Floridata Archived from the original on 1 May 2009 Retrieved 14 May 2009 a b c d Aloe ferox Mill PlantZAfrica com Archived from the original on 7 May 2009 Retrieved 14 May 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aloe ferox amp oldid 1058902220, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
