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Pack Size: 20, 100, 300
Year: 2025
Accepted Scientific Name: Aloe aculeata “White Thorns”
Origin and Habitat:
Aloe aculeata is native to South Africa, particularly in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and surrounding regions, often found on rocky hillsides, grasslands, and open savannas. It thrives in areas with well-drained soils, ranging from sandy to stony substrates. Rainfall in its native environment is primarily summer-dominant, with hot, dry winters that encourage periods of dormancy. The “White Thorns” form is a cultivated selection noted for its pale, strikingly white spines, a characteristic accentuating its architectural beauty and enhancing its appeal among collectors of unusual aloes.
Description:
This solitary, stemless aloe forms a rosette of thick, triangular, blue-green leaves covered with stout white spines along both surfaces and margins. Mature plants reach 18–24 inches tall and 24–30 inches wide. Flower spikes emerge in late winter to spring, producing dense, upright racemes of tubular orange to reddish-orange flowers, highly attractive to pollinators. The pale thorn coloration distinguishes this form from the typical species.
Cultivation:
Zone: USDA Zones 9–11.
Temperature: Ideal range 15–27°C, tolerates down to 5°C if dry.
Growth Rate: Moderate, faster with heat and regular summer water.
Soil: Requires fast-draining pumice-based soil mix.
Watering: Water generously in summer growth period, allow soil to dry between; keep much drier in winter.
Fertilizing: Apply balanced liquid fertilizer every 2–3 weeks during active growth.
Light: Full sun for best spine color and compact growth; tolerates very bright filtered light.
Pests and Diseases: Generally hardy but may suffer from mealybugs or scale; root rot possible if soil remains wet.
Germination Info:
Temperature 27°C. Surface sown: No, seeds should be lightly covered.
