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Aloe elgonica (Mt. Elgon Aloe) - An attractive clump-forming plant to 2-3 feet tall with 1 foot wide rosettes of thick tight medium-green leaves that are recurved and blushed with a pink color when first emerging and have large broad teeth along the margins. In late spring through mid-summer appear the bright red flowers in upright spikes on a simple or few branching inflorescence.
Plant in full sun to light shade (color best in sun) in a well-drained soil and irrigate occasionally to infrequently. Is cold hardy to around 25°F, though foliage can be damaged at this temperature if duration is prolonged. This is a great landscape aloe with beautiful foliage and flower color that will form large masses in the landscape - stays low to the ground if grown without irrigation but can bulk up to 3 feet or a bit more if watered more regularly.
Aloe elgonica is native to Kenya where it grows from around 6500 to 7800 feet on Mount Elgon (noted as the largest caldera in the world and rising to nearly 14,000 feet) along the border of Kenya and Uganda. Its specific epithet reflects this location on Mount Elgon. We have grown and sold this attractive aloe since 2012.
This information about Aloe elgonica 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.
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