- Los Angeles arboretum
- Aloe cameronii LAarb.JPG (206.9 KiB) Viewed 8233 times
- San Diego botanical garden
- Aloe cameronii Qu.jpg (244.27 KiB) Viewed 8233 times
- Huntington Gardens
- Aloe cameronii variety H.jpg (239.52 KiB) Viewed 8233 times
- Huntington
- Aloe cameroniis Huntington.jpg (282.95 KiB) Viewed 8233 times
- private garden in Vista, California
- Aloe cameronii bob.JPG (230.14 KiB) Viewed 8233 times
this is a southern AFrican species found in many countries (not as far south as South Africa) that is a very popular landscape plant for aloe enthusiasts (has not really caught on with the general public for some reason). IT is a heat, sun-loving species that has a tendency to develop very red, ornamental leaf color if stressed (dry and hot, or dry and cold)... however, if watered regularly or grown in any degree of shade, leaf colors are pretty greenish with only leaf tips getting some red coloration (as in my garden). Very variable plant with multiple official varieties: bondana and dedzana... but frankly the exact differences are unclear to me. As can be seen in the above photos, one form has fairly large, upright leaves while another, more spreading form, has thinner and more open rosettes. Either way, the leaves are always very smooth and brittle (cannot bend these leaves with breaking them) and feel a lot like plastic. Leaves are scalloped as marginal teeth seem to be part of the leaf shape, rather than looking 'added on' like many aloe teeth look.
Flowers are in winter and are typically deep scarlet, but can be light red, orange or even yellow. Flowers have a characterstic arching droop to them. Easy plant and easy to grow from cuttings, but not a very cold tolerant species, showing marked damage below 28F and stress below 32F. Mine survived a freeze down into the mid 20s but took a bad hit and basically had to almost start over again.
It's OK, even green, I like it. Also, I can throw it out there in the sun anytime. It colors up really fast actually.
