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Aloe helenae - A typically non-branching small tree aloe to 13 feet tall but in cultivation it is noted that plants often branch from the base. It has 4 foot long recurved and channeled broad based olive green leaves that turn reddish in bright light and drought stress. In late winter to early spring (earliest in warmer areas) appear the multiple short unbranched inflorescences at the top of the rosette with red buds that open to pale yellow in 6-inch-long cylindrical racemes that are tightly covered with hundreds of flowers - fully open they resemble a grouping of Banksia flowers more than they do a typical aloe.
Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and irrigate occasionally to infrequently - likely can be unirrigated once established. This plant has been in cultivation only in near frost-free gardens so until we know better we list its frost tolerance to 30 °F. It grows near the ocean in nature so likely can be planted at least in near coastal gardens. A very attractive and unusual species that is known to be easy to cultivate in gardens in mild climate areas.
Aloe helenae is endemic to the Fort Dauphin region in the extreme south-west of the Toliara Province of Madagascar, where only two or three very small populations are known to occur in thorny bush along sandy shores. It is considered Critically Endangered. The specific epithet honors Helen Decary, the wife of Raymond Decary, a French financial administrator and 20th century botanist in Madagascar. Our plants are cutting grown from plants received in 2012 from the Institute of Aloe Studies as Aloe helenae IAS 12-011c.
The information about Aloe helenae that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
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