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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Aloeaceae (now Asphodeloideae) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Red & Yellow |
| Bloomtime: Winter |
| Synonyms: [A. brunnthaleri, A. juttae] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): No Irrigation required |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Aloe microstigma “Great Karoo Form” (Karoo Small Spotted Aloe) - Rosette-forming succulent that is solitary or sometimes found in small clumps to 2 feet tall with long tapering white-spotted blue-green leaves that can have red hues when stressed and have small red teeth along the leaf margin and longitudinal lines through the leaves, which lie flat at first and arch upward with age. In the middle of winter arise several spikes of flowers that are at first red and upright in bud and then open when pendant to orange and lighten to a yellow orange, looking a bit like a torch lily (Knifophia). This aloe is noted for being particularly floriferous and for the bi-colored flowers but some forms are noted as being more reddish or pure yellow. It is a common and widely distributed plant in the dry inland areas of the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces and is a great plant in cultivation in sparsely irrigated California gardens but can tolerate more regular irrigation if soil drains well. Plant in full sun. This plant has been noted as hardy to the low 20s by Brian Kemble at the Ruth Bancroft Garden but some note the winter flowers can sometimes be damaged by frost. The specific epithet 'microstigma' used for this plant is of Greek origin and means "small spot" in reference to the spots on the foliage ('mikros' for "small" and 'stigma' for "spot") though this same epithet, derived from Latin, is used for other plants to indicate short stigma lobes in the flower. Our plants are from seed collected at Matjiesfontein (just west of Laingsburg) in Great Karoo of the Western Cape where the leaves in this habitat were noted to have dramatic pink to red coloration along with the dark longitudinal lines and white spots that the species typically has.
This information about Aloe microstigma 'Matjiesfontein' 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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