Aloe juvenna
| Light | Bright light to some direct sun; colours up best with strong light |
|---|---|
| Water | Water when the soil has dried; reduce in winter |
| Soil | Free-draining gritty mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Offsets and stem cuttings (easy); seed |
| Toxicity | Mildly toxic to cats and dogs if eaten |
Aloe juvenna, widely known as the tiger tooth aloe, is a small, clump-forming Aloe whose short stems are packed with tightly stacked, triangular leaves. Each bright-green leaf is peppered with pale, tooth-like tubercles and edged with soft white teeth, giving the plant its distinctive spotted, "toothy" look and making it one of the most forgiving and popular aloes for windowsill growers.
Description
Aloe juvenna grows as a cluster of slender, upright to sprawling stems, each densely clothed in small deltoid leaves arranged in overlapping rows. Individual stems reach roughly 15–30 cm long before they lean and branch, and a happy plant soon forms a dense, cascading clump. The leaves are typically bright green, flushing coppery to reddish-brown in strong light or under drought stress, and are marked with scattered white spots and soft, harmless marginal teeth.
Mature, well-established clumps may send up a slender spike of tubular orange to reddish flowers, though flowering is less reliable indoors than in the species' native range. The common name refers to the neat rows of white "teeth" running along the leaf edges rather than to any sharpness — the teeth are soft to the touch.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to Kenya in East Africa, where it grows on rocky ground at high altitude. Long common in cultivation before its wild origin was confirmed, it is now known from only a very small natural range. It is closely allied to a group of small stemming aloes and has occasionally been confused in the trade with its relatives, so plants sold under this name can vary a little in leaf colour and spotting.
Cultivation
Aloe juvenna is genuinely easy and a good choice for beginners. Grow it in a free-draining, gritty mix in a pot with drainage, and give it bright light — a sunny windowsill or a spot with some direct sun brings out the best leaf colour and keeps growth compact. In poor light the leaves stay flat green and the stems stretch and flop.
Water thoroughly once the soil has dried out, then let it dry again; err on the side of underwatering, as the plant stores water in its leaves and stems and resents sitting wet. Cut back watering over winter, especially if kept cool. It is not frost-hardy, so bring it in or protect it where temperatures drop near freezing. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Propagation is very straightforward. The plant offsets freely, and rooted pups can simply be teased away and potted up (see Propagation — offsets). Stem cuttings root just as easily: take a section, let the cut end callus for a day or two, then set it in barely moist gritty mix (Propagation — cuttings). Seed is possible but slower and rarely necessary given how readily the plant clumps.
Common problems
- Rot — from overwatering or a slow-draining mix; stems soften and blacken at the base. Keep the mix lean and let it dry between waterings.
- Etiolation — too little light causes pale, stretched, floppy stems with widely spaced leaves.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff tucked between the stacked leaves) and, less often, scale. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Aloe — the genus overview
- Propagation — offsets · Propagation — cuttings · Soil and potting mix · Watering