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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Aloeaceae (Aloes) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Yellow |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Height: 10-16 feet |
| Width: 6-12 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Drought Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): No Irrigation required |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Aloe pillansii (Giant Quiver Tree) This succulent tree is noted to grow to 30 to 40 feet in habitat (but likely much smaller in cultivation) with thick smooth sparingly branched trunks that are tipped with rosettes of only a few fat short slightly arching silver-gray leaves that have small pale yellow teeth along the margins. The pendant bright yellow rounded flowers are produced on branched inflorescences that emerge from the axils of the lowest leaves in mid-spring though we have never seen this plant flower here in cultivation. Plant in full sun in a well drained soil and irrigate little or not at all during the summer months and protect from frost - notably not damaged by short term temperatures down to 25 F but below this expect some damage. This is the largest of South Africa's tree aloes though it is rarely seen to any great height in cultivation in California (for that matter it is rarely seen at all!). Aloe pillansi actually appreciates more heat than we can typically give it in Santa Barbra unless in a very favorable location. One such location existed on a southwest facing hillside in the hills above Mission Canyon but this house and the beautiful Aloe pillansii in its garden succumbed to the Jessusita Fire in 2009. It comes from the dry succulent karoo, a biome extending from the Richtersveld to the middle of Namibia. This plant is regarded as endangered due to over collecting and mining activities in its native habitat. This plant is similar to Aloe dichotoma though Aloe pillansii has broader and paler leaves with pendant yellow flowers while A. dichotoma an upright inflorescence. This plant was named by South African botanist Louise Guthrie (1879-1966) in 1928 to honor Neville S. Pillans, the a well-known Cape botanist who first collected it at Cornell’s Kop in Richtersveld. The common name comes from a translation of the Afrikaan name Kokerboon which translates as a quiver as the hollowed stems were used as a quiver for arrows. An alternate common name often seen but deemed politically incorrect is Bastard Quiver tree which makes reference to the Richtersveld region being one of the Baster states of South Africa that was populated by biracial descendants of the indigenous African people and European settlers. Our plants are from a small crop produced using micropropagation techniques by Rancho Tissue Technologies. This plant was noted by RTT as difficult in the plug stage and continues to be a bit of a challenge for us as they grow larger.
The description above is based on our research and observations of this plant growing in our nursery, in our own garden and in other gardens in the Santa Barbara area. We would appreciate hearing from anyone who has additional information about this plant, even if they disagree with what we have written.
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