Aloiampelos tenuior – Common names: Fence aloe, Slender aloe or ‘Heuningaalwyn’.
Aloiampelos tenuior is a bushy, multi-branched, climbing succulent that occurs naturally in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Kwazulu Natal and Mpumalanga. It was formerly known as Aloe tenuior, but Aloiampelos means ‘climbing plant’, and it was changed to name a group of climbing or rambling Aloes.
If you are looking for a succulent with a long flowering season, free-flowering and showy plant, then this Aloe is the one for you. Aloiampelos tenuior is suited for rockeries, retaining walls, terraces, mixed garden beds and borders and en masse planting. It needs full sun but can tolerate semi-shade although it will flower less.
It is also a good container plant and with a little help can be encouraged to climb up a fence or a trellis. Although in nature it can grow in poor soil, it is best to plant Aloiampelos tenuior in compost enrich, well-drained soil, and to give it a good mulch of compost in springtime. Whilst they can withstand dry conditions, it will perform better with regular watering – especially in the dry spells in summer. It can withstand light frost, and it is also wind-resistant, making it a popular coastal plant.
The Aloiampelos tenuior is a small to medium evergreen, with sprawling shrub stems which are slender and grow upright, but tends to need support from surrounding shrubs to remain upright. The leaves are thin and slightly fleshy without any spots. It is crowned in a lax rosette at the ends of the branches, and the leaf margins have small teeth. Being a fast-growing shrub, this Aloe can become untidy and needs regular pruning to keep tidy and encourage more flowers.
Delicate yellow flowers (red and orange-red) are borne in a slender rosette nearly year-round but mainly from late winter into late summer and are visited by bees for pollen and nectar.
The root and leaves are used in traditional medicine as purgative and tapeworm remedy.
This easy to grow, undemanding and free flowering Aloe will transform any garden in a riot of colour when in full bloom.
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There is no doubt that Aloe flower
spikes brighten a winter garden. Tubular red and pink to orange and yellow flowers
are carried on long stalks above the leaves and produce nectar which attracts
sunbirds and bees into your garden.
By carefully choosing species which
flower consecutively, one can have colour from May to nearly September.
Aloes have a shallow root system which means that for every new leaf there is a root. As the leaves die the roots remain to help anchor the plant’s heavyweight which is due to all the plant sap.
HOW TO LOOK AFTER ALOES
Aloes like hot, full sun and grow well
in sandy soil. Fertilize by giving compost after flowering (in Spring). If you
are in need of more Aloes, propagate by removing young suckers or by taking
cuttings – then letting them dry for two weeks before planting. Collecting seed
from some Aloe species is also an option, but this will take longer to mature
and to flower (different for certain Aloe species).
WHAT CAN GO WRONG WITH ALOES?
As Aloes are tough plants there is not a
lot that can go wrong with this hardy flora. The only are you should concern yourself with
is overwatering because then they will surely die. In humid areas, they can get
a little rusty. If you find this, simply
spray with a fungicide which has a copper base. Around flowering time they do
accumulate a reddish growth known as Aloe mite or Aloe cancer. Cut these out
and spray with a systemic insecticide from your local nursery.
They need little water in summer and
flourish well in winter rainfall areas such as in our Western Cape. In colder
areas, some species need protection from frost.
Where you are concerned of frost damage, you can lay a thin cotton sheet
over the Aloe plants and add an optional light bulb, not touching the plant nor
the sheet.
In summary, Aloes are generally easy
going and simple to please.
Enjoy Aloe season!
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