|
Aloe arborescens 'Spineless' (Toothless Torch Aloe) – A large densely growing succulent shrub to at least 5 feet tall (the species can get 8 to 9') by an equal spread with branching stems holding many 18-inch-wide rosettes of narrow recurved nearly toothless leaves that are dull yellow-green and blushing an orange pink when drought stressed. Coral-red flowers hang tightly on the erect few branched inflorescences that rise 2 feet above the foliage in late fall and early winter.
Plant in full sun (coast) to light shade. Like the species, which differs mostly in having toothy leaf margins, this drought tolerant plant does great in coastal California without any supplementary irrigation and is cold hardy to about 22 degrees F. For more information see our listing for the species, Aloe arborescens.
Aloe arborescens 'Spineless' should really be called "Toothless" as the projections along the leaf margins of an aloe are typically called teeth and the term spine usually reserved for those projections that arise elsewhere on the leaf, but "Spineless" is the name first used for this cultivar, though we have not been able to determine its actual origin. We first saw this intriguing plant pictured in Jeff Moore's fantastic book Under The Spell of Succulents published in 2014 and knew right away that we must grow it.
We already grew the species Aloe arborescens, two yellow forms, Aloe arborescens 'Lutea' and Aloe 'Yellow Torch', the dwarf variety Aloe arborescens var. mzimnyati as well as the Aloe arborescens hybrid with Aloe ferox that is called Aloe x salm-dyckiana (AKA Aloe princeps) so knew this species grows very well in California gardens. Luckily, we were able to obtain 'Spineless' in 2015 from the Institute of Aloe Studies (ISA) as ISA 15-003c. Image on this page courtesy of Jeff Moore and 2nd image from John Miller of the Institute of Aloe Studies.
This information about Aloe arborescens 'Spineless' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
|
