Aloe 'Hellskloof Bells'

[Geoff]

This is a hybrid between Aloe pearsonii and Aloe perfoliata var. distans. Looks a bit like a vigorously growing Aloe pearsonii.

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[Viegener]

This is a really charming plant & the pictures don't quite do it justice. Here it is blooming in mid-July at the Huntington Gardens. 'Hellskloof Bells' is a 2007 ISI introduction. They look better in colonies than individually. One clone is red-flowered and the other is as below.

"In the summer of 1991, Brian Kemble, noted student of the genus Aloe, created this uncommon hybrid of two species from South Africa’s Mediterranean climate. The seed parent was the red-flowered form of A. pearsonii, a species many find difficult to grow and flower. It forms spectacular colonies of erect, columnar branches covered with red-blushed leaves, in the Hellskloof, a montane region of the Richtersveld in the N. Cape. The pollen parent was the related A. distans, an easier species from the coast with more freely produced, larger heads of flowers." (from the Huntington's site)

[Azuleja]

These are really nice! I don't think I noticed them when we were there.

[Viegener]

They're not in a conspicuous place... plus the desert garden is more designed for getting lost in than to actually find things.

[Xanthoria]

These are really nice in person - anyone selling them?

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[Viegener]

I got one at a Huntington sale a few years ago. It's a slow but steady grower. But these look way better in clumps than with single specimens...

[Spination]

Much faster growing however than the seed parent Aloe pearsonii.
I got two H.B. in 2015, both are now 18" in height, but still no offsets, and much like pearsonii in that regard. In growth habit and general appearance, they are much like pearsonii as well.
Here are pearsonii and H.B side by side in 2016, roughly the same size taking into account the pot height.

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Again roughly two years later, H.B. easily taller.

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[Viegener]

Yes, everybody says they are almost like A. pearsonii & you can really see it in their growth habit. Of course the pics of pearsonii in S Africa show huge colonies, and that would take a lot of cuttings! I'm hoping to get there one day. The only place I've seen pure pearsonii growing is in a greenhouse at the Ruth Bancroft Garden.

[Jkwinston]

Much faster growing however than the seed parent Aloe pearsonii.
I got two H.B. in 2015, both are now 18" in height, but still no offsets, and much like pearsonii in that regard. In growth habit and general appearance, they are much like pearsonii as well.
Here are pearsonii and H.B side by side in 2016, roughly the same size taking into account the pot height.

The attachment 2016 07 19 Aloe pearsonii and comparison Aloe Hellskloof Bells b.JPG is no longer available

Again roughly two years later, H.B. easily taller.

The attachment 2018 05 12 Aloe pearsonii and Aloe Hellskloof Bells c.jpg is no longer available

Looking good Tom the two species side by side. Don't want to upset you, but I must be honest I just could not wait for the offsets and I decided to trim the top of my only plant which I got from Karen in Huntington. Have a look. The cutting, which I have rooted, is being kept indoors and seem to lose the form of the original which is in the cold greenhouse. Jkw

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[Spination]

Yes, everybody says they are almost like A. pearsonii & you can really see it in their growth habit. Of course the pics of pearsonii in S Africa show huge colonies, and that would take a lot of cuttings! I'm hoping to get there one day. The only place I've seen pure pearsonii growing is in a greenhouse at the Ruth Bancroft Garden.

I had read about older plants in habitat thought to be hundreds of years old. Had to search and here is the reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_pearsonii" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"Of all the aloes, this species is the slowest growing. In spite of this, plants have been found in the wild with heights of over 2 meters. Such individuals are believed to be several hundred years old."

I guess if you're hoping to "get there one day"... maybe in a hundred years or so?

I've also heard blooming at some 10 or so years of age. I got mine in 2015, so I think I might have another 5 or so years of wait!

Winston - why would that upset me? That's awesome! I have two H.B., you just clued me in as to what I need to do to one of them... Thanks!
By the way, at the top of your cut on the original plant, are those two new branches just starting to grow?

[Jkwinston]

****Winston - why would that upset me? That's awesome! I have two H.B., you just clued me in as to what I need to do to one of them... Thanks!
By the way, at the top of your cut on the original plant, are those two new branches just starting to grow? ****


Yes you are absolutely right Tom. At first I noticed the two offset shoots at the bottom and was glad to see those. But in the last month I can now see two more new shoots slowly emerging at the top. As the weather is quite cold, and I have kept the temperature a minimum 40F I feel it will take its time. How cold do you keep your Aloes in winter? Jkw

[Spination]

Being in the northwestern part of California, seemingly affected equally at times by both inland and coastal climate, our town is described as Mediterranean in Wiki. I'd beg to differ though, as I would think a Mediterranean climate wouldn't get as wet or as cold in the winter. 2 out of the last 3 seasons, we've had 40 or more inches of rain, and about 20 feeze nights by early morning per winter season, most of those right at 32 F or slightly below, but occasionally something as low as 25 F. Very rarely but something that does eventually happen after years is 20 F, which tends to be devastating to much of the plant life here. Our latitude is approx 37.8 N while that of London (UK city chosen arbitrarily) is 51.5 N, which I suppose all things equal (coastal/inland/mountain/valley etc) is on average colder than here.
My aloes in greenhouse kits without a heater probably enjoy 5 degrees warmer than those outside, but I have plenty of larger plants that I don't have room for anywhere inside that are left outside. I have two strategies to improve their chances outdoors. One is big plastic covers on more special plants that keeps them dry during rain and probably better than nothing protection from cold. The other is plants I've parked right up next to and under a big hedge where I know it's warmer than out in the open. For example, a water bucket out in the open on a 29 F night like we just had last week freezes on top, another bucket under the hedge no ice at all.
In my greenhouse kits, I have small inexpensive "farmhouse" heater in each with a dial thermostat that kicks on around 40 or so, and set on timers so they don't run all night, but rather for 1/2 hour intervals an hour apart, and staggered so the 3 never come on at the same time so as not to overload the circuit. The idea is I don't want to spend much on heating, but kicking on during the coldest nights for 1/2 hour intervals prevents problems and disaster. My most expensive plants are kept in these kits so there's no way I'd just leave my fate to the whim of nature.

All in all though, I'd say your conditions must be more challenging in all likelihood.

[Jkwinston]

Your stategies for keeping your plants warm are very interesting, and are very different than mine. There are 3 greenhouses in my backyard, and only one of them is heated to around 40/45F. If the temperature drops below 30F then my minimum moves up to 45/50F It does not stay there for very long. The two other greenhouses are less efficient but generally keep plants alive. One has no heating whatsoever, and the other has a few light bulbs and is better sealed than the former.

Any plants which are cold-suspect or I care about comes into the house and this creates a messy existence. Most go to my basement which is not a true basement but it is 7 foot high space under my living room floor with a few flourescent lights, and that does work for me as the temperature rarely go below 55F. If I was truly honest I would cram most of my plants in there. The rest of my special plants are all over the house which is not good. Every year I promise to end this practice, but decide it is too difficult to avoid at the moment. We will see what happens next year. Jkw

[Spination]

I believe I recall from seeing a pic of one of your greenhouse kits, that we use very similar products. Mine are modified, inasmuch as they are fastened to concrete piers buried in the ground with a wooden frame then connected to the four corners and the greenhouse kit's frame secured to that. There's no way mine are going to blow away, lol. Also, I have braided cables diagonally across the back and sides to add lateral stability and strength so there's a lot less moving and bending in high winds. Also, a floor constructed of 1" thick one foot by one foot pavers. Finally, there's an extra covering of 6 mil plastic sheeting replaced each year over the cheap covering the kit comes with, and a large shade cloth stretched over all of that which also reduces UV but keeps the extra plastic covering in place. I learned the hard way that no heating is no good here. Three seasons ago, one kit had no heater, and what happened was that condensation formed on the inner ceiling, and then streamed along and dripped on two particular plants that were thus lost (crown rot). I was able to secure offsets from each, but I decided that a heater even if only coming on for 1/2 hour intervals during the night was a big advantage not only preventing freezing but preventing condensation forming inside as well.

[Jkwinston]

Mine definitely needs upgrading but I intend to use bricks around the edges in the next week or two to keep the metal bars firmly in place. The plastic is very suspect and is beginning to develop holes but that is work to do next year. The small greenhouse close to house has a wooden structure and is so perfect that I wish my cheap 'green' greenhouse was the same. As usual I wil inspect the plants and start juggling, moving the opuntias/cactus in the middle house and cram the more sensitive items where there is heat. At present I feel I am in a better situation than most years. Fingers crossed we don't have a heavy snowfall during December. January and February are our worst months for extreme cold weather. Jkw

[Xanthoria]

At Ruth Bancroft Garden

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[Viegener]

Looks to me like the more sun these get the better the color and form.

[Viegener]

Nov 20, 2020 at the Huntington. These never look bad...

[Melt in the Sun]

Got one from a random plant vendor in Tucson...!?

[mcvansoest]

Nice!
The one I got from the Huntington last Fall did not survive the hot part of the summer. It almost made it to the now slightly cooler monsoony part, but the 3+ weeks of 85F+ night time lows at my house were too much for it.

[echo459]

I just got this today. Super stoked.

[Xanthoria]

Does anyone know if this self pollinates? Mine has seeds on it now but other Aloes were flowering at the same time...

[mickthecactus]

One of the few hybrids I would grow.

[Azuleja]

I was finally able to acquire Hellskloof Bells from HBG and took @Viegener's advice to start a clump instead of one. They love sun and are growing faster than expected.

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