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Aloe chabaudii (A young specimen)
It is a rare and unusual in cultivation and one of the more strikingly coloured aloes. It will sometimes have a pinkish-red tinge on it's otherwise turquoise leaves.
 

Leaves are unspotted and  bordered by deltoid teeth and form a spiralled rosette at the stem apex in old plants, but in juvenile plants they are ranked in vertical rows.

Aloe chabaudii plants needs sun to bring out the beautiful color of the rosette in shades of blue, green and pink/red - it turns pale in the shade, but give some shade in a hot climate.
 

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Scientific name:  Aloe chabaudii Schönland

Common Names include: Chabaud's Aloe

Origin:  Northeastern South Africa to Zambia and Malawi

Habitat: Grows on lower slopes of hills on rocky granite outcrops often in dense colonies..

Etymology:  Named after Mr. John A. Chabaud, of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, ,a well-known enthusiastic amateur gardener.ì

Synonyms:

• Aloe nitens
• Aloe pycnacantha

Description: Aloe chabaudii is a perennial rosette forming succulent up to 40-60 cm tall that offsets freely to form extensive groups in suitable habitat. It  is a robust fast growing aloe with very showy flowers in winter.
Leaves: In a compact spiralled rosette at the stem apex in old plants, but in juvenile plants they are ranked in vertical rows. They are broad, tapering, lanceolate-attenuate, without spots, pale grey-green to blue-turquoise, which in full sun and in winter can take a pinkish-red tinge. Leaves margins with small pungent, deltoid teeth.
Roots: It has a spread-root-system the roots are somewhat fleshy.
Stem: Stemmless, occasionally a short stem
Flowers: The inflorescence is a 50 - 100 cm tall multibranched panicle with up to 15 racemes the flowers are small of coral pink or red at tip of each branch. The flowers are tubular. The perianth is sub-clavate to clavate, sklightly decurvedand restricted above the ovary.
Blooming season: Flowers in mid winter.

Cultivation:  Easy to grow, requiring very little care. It can be grown in large containers. Always use a good quality, loamy sandy soil with plenty of drainage chips at the bottom of containers. It tolerates weekly watering in the summer; once a month, or not at all in the colder months of December and January. Can withstand long periods of drought, but they will thrive and flower more profusely if watered in the correct season. Incorrect watering, poor drainage or too much shade can lead to attack by pests and diseases. They can take a few degrees of frost in winter as well, but prefer hot summers. It grows much better outdoors in spring and summer.
In mild climates it can be cultivated outdoors for use in landscaping, preferably planting it in hot and dry rock gardens. They will grow best in regions with a climate close to that of their native deserts  not too cold, and not too wet.
They grow slowly, but not agonisingly so being able to increase their height by 10- 30 (or more) cm per year under favourable conditions.

Propagation: Almost exclusively by seeds planted in autumn, in trays of coarse river sand.
Truncheons (if available) can also be used for propagation. Truncheons must be dried out for at least 3 weeks before planting in river sand. This is quite a difficult alternative and success is not always guaranteed.

Uses:

• Gardening: This tree can be grown in large, rocky, well-drained soil in gardens in drier areas. It is very drought resistant but susceptible to frost. Aloe chabaudii adapts well to a variety of soils and climates. It makes an excellent ground cover, grows best in a sunny position and makes a long lasting cut flower.

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Encyclopaedia of Succulents. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.