Fan aloe

Aloe plicatilis

Scientific name

Aloe plicatilis, the fan aloe, is a species of aloe endemic to a few mountains in the Fynbos ecoregion, of the Western Cape in South Africa. The plant has an unusual and striking fan-like arrangement of its leaves. It may grow as a large multistemmed shrub or, unusually for Aloe species, as a small tree. It is one of five species of tree-aloe indigenous to South Africa, and it is the only tree-aloe native to Fynbos habitats. It grows to 3-5 meters.

In the wild, Aloe plicatilis is confined to a tiny area in the Western Cape, between the town of Franschhoek and Elandskloof. Here it grows in well-drained, sandy, slightly acidic soil on steep, rocky, south-facing slopes. It also seems to have a very clumped distribution pattern, with seventeen different populations that are often separated from each other by over 10 kilometres.

Fan Aloes are best propagated from cuttings

References and further reading

PlantZAfrica profile »

Wikipedia page »