Aloe hybrid 'Pink Blush'
Aloe 'Pink Blush is a small, widely sold hybrid aloe grown for its textured green leaves, which are studded with raised pink-and-white bumps and edged with bright pink teeth. It is one of the larger of a series of miniature aloe hybrids raised by Kelly Griffin, and its parentage is not documented. The pink colouring varies in intensity through the year, making it a popular compact plant for windowsills and mixed succulent bowls. Like most modern miniature aloes it is a nursery hybrid rather than a wild species, and its care follows that of small hybrid Aloe generally.
Description
'Pink Blush' forms a low, clumping rosette of thick, tapering leaves that arch gently outward as they lengthen. The leaves are somewhat brittle and textured, mottled in dark and lighter green and dotted with raised pale and pink bumps that give the surface a warty look. These raised markings, together with the bright pink teeth that line the leaf margins, are the plant's main attraction. The intensity of the pink shifts with the seasons, deepening under bright light and cooler conditions and fading toward plain green in shade. Mature plants reach roughly 30 cm (1 ft) tall and about as wide, and offset freely around the base to form a dense clump.
Established plants may send up a short flower stalk bearing tubular blooms in orange (sometimes yellow) tones in late winter to spring, typical of the small hybrid aloes.
Cultivation
Care for 'Pink Blush' as for the parent group of small hybrid Aloe. Grow it in a gritty, free-draining mix and give it plenty of bright light: strong light keeps the rosette tight and deepens the colouring, whereas too little leaves growth greener and loosely spaced. It takes anything from partial shade to full sun; a few hours of direct sun, with a little protection from the fiercest afternoon glare, suits it well.
Water thoroughly once the soil has dried out, then allow it to dry again before the next drink; err on the dry side, as the compact rosette and fleshy roots are prone to rot if kept damp. Reduce watering in winter and keep the plant frost-free, as it is not cold hardy. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
The easiest method is to remove the offsets ('pups') that form around the base and pot them up once they have a few roots of their own — see Propagation — offsets. The plant offsets prolifically, so a mature clump can be divided readily. As a hybrid, 'Pink Blush' will not come true from seed, so vegetative propagation is the way to keep the plant identical to its parent.
See also
- Aloe — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — offsets · Repotting · Pests and diseases