Aloe brevifolia
| Light | Bright light to full sun; colours up best with strong light |
|---|---|
| Water | Regular in growth, allowing the soil to dry between waterings; reduce in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining gritty mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Best kept above freezing; tolerates light frost when dry, USDA zones 9–11 |
| Propagation | Offsets (primary); also seed |
| Toxicity | Mildly toxic to cats and dogs if eaten |
Aloe brevifolia is a small, clumping, blue-green aloe from the winter-rainfall regions of the Western Cape, South Africa. It forms tight rosettes of short, fat, triangular leaves edged with white teeth, and the whole plant flushes a warm coppery pink under bright light and cool temperatures. Its stubby foliage gives it its common names short-leaved aloe and crocodile aloe, and its easy-going, offsetting habit makes it a favourite for rockeries, containers and beginner collections.
Description
Aloe brevifolia is a compact species, with individual rosettes typically reaching only around 8–10 cm across before clustering into dense, spreading mounds. The leaves are short, thick and sharply triangular, blue-green to grey-green in shade and turning rosy-pink to reddish under stress from sun, cold or drought. Their margins carry small, pale white teeth, and there are often a few scattered soft teeth on the underside of the leaf as well.
In late spring the plant sends up an unbranched flower spike well above the foliage, carrying a dense raceme of tubular orange to scarlet flowers that are attractive to sunbirds and other pollinators. Established clumps flower freely and reliably.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to a limited area of the Western Cape in South Africa, where it grows on rocky, stony clay slopes and ridges within the winter-rainfall renosterveld of the fynbos biome. In habitat it experiences wet, mild winters and hot, dry summers, and it has become genuinely threatened in the wild through habitat loss to agriculture — assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and Endangered nationally in South Africa, with more than 80% of its range cleared for wheat and canola cultivation. It is, however, extremely common and widely grown in cultivation, so nursery-propagated garden plants are readily available.
Cultivation
Aloe brevifolia is one of the more forgiving small aloes and an excellent choice for beginners. Grow it in a very free-draining, gritty mix in a pot with good drainage, or outdoors in mild-winter climates where it makes a fine edging or rockery plant. Give it as much light as you can — bright sun brings out the pink and copper tones and keeps the rosettes tight, while too little light leaves it flat green and loose.
Water regularly through the cooler growing months, letting the mix dry out between waterings, and ease off in the heat of high summer when the plant naturally rests. Being a winter grower, it can look a little tired in mid-summer; this is normal. It tolerates a few degrees of frost if kept dry, but is safest protected from hard freezes. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
This aloe practically propagates itself. Mature clumps throw out abundant offsets ("pups") around the base, and these can be gently detached — ideally with a few roots attached — and potted up in a dry, gritty mix, then watered lightly once they have settled. It can also be grown from seed, though offset division is faster and far more common. See Propagation — offsets for a full walkthrough.
Common problems
- Rot — the usual cause of loss, from overwatering, a slow-draining mix, or summer water during dormancy; rosettes soften and collapse from the centre.
- Etiolation — too little light stretches and greens the rosettes and loses the compact form and colour.
- Pests — mealybugs hiding in the leaf axils and around the roots are the most common nuisance; scale and aphids (on flower spikes) may also appear. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Aloe — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — offsets · Pests and diseases