|
|
 |
|
|
| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Aloeaceae (Aloes) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Yellow & Orange |
| Bloomtime: Year-round |
| Synonyms: [Aloe rudikoppe, A. 'Little Gem'] |
| Parentage: (Aloe sinkatana hybrid) |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
|
|
|
|
Aloe 'Rooikappie' (Little Red Riding Hood Aloe) - A very attractive smaller clumping aloe that grows to less than 1 foot tall many densely clustered 12 inch wide rosettes of medium green attractively spotted leave leaves that arch outward then slightly down near the tips and produce 2 foot tall branched flat topped inflorescence of flowers that are orange in bud with pendant flowers opening to show pale yellow interior and petals. Flowering has been noted year round but is especially prolific in the fall. Plant in full sun to light shade. Give occasional to infrequent irrigation. A great accent plant in a small garden or massed as a ground cover. It is not prone to the tip die-back or other blemishes that seem to plague many other of spotted aloes. This plant, noted by John Trager of the Huntington Botanic Gardens as one of the best results of aloe hybridization, was bred by the late Cynthia Giddy, possibly as early as 1974, and thought to be from an open pollinated cross of an unknown plant with Aloe sinkatana. Giddy was a South African conservationist, horticulturist and author of "The Cycads of South Africa" (Purnell & Sons,1974 ). She was a noted authority on clivia, aloe and African cycads and maintained a nursery in Natal, South Africa. The name rooikappie translates in Afrikaans as "little red cap" and was the name used for the for Grimm’s fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood". This plant was from the Huntington Botanic Garden (HBG 32501) and distributed in 2004 through International Succulent Introductions as ISI 2004-13. Aloe 'Rooikappie' Giddy but is sometimes sold under the name, Aloe rudikoppe or as 'Little Gem'.
The description above is based on our research and observations of this plant growing in our nursery and in our own and other Santa Barbara gardens. We would appreciate hearing from anyone who has additional information or disagrees with what we have written.
|
| |
|
|
|
