Growing Aloe Dawei


 Back in April (2019) I picked up several 5 gal Aloe dawei from Waterwise Botanicals. Unfortunately I did not take a good "before" shot to contrast with what they've grown into over the summer so I'll do my best to keep this post updated with progress shots going forward. Aloe dawei has grown quickly in my garden with some of the plants almost doubling in size. This is a species from Uganda, short-stemmed, suckering, and sprawling with rosettes about 2 feet across and 2' tall.


Aloe dawei with flower stalk
Aloe dawei September 2019

Below is the same plant less than a month later. This particular plant has fewer branched inflorescences than it's siblings but still lots of potential for pollinators.


Aloe dawei in bloom
Aloe dawei October, 2019

The specimen below has grown quite a bit more than it's sibling above! You'll notice that most the flowers have not opened yet. Once the flowers fill out I expect some serious hummingbird battles to begin. Keep in mind this plant has only been in the ground for six months - look at all the offsets.

aloe dawei in flower
Aloe dawei with lots of inflorescences

Below is a shot of an Aloe Dawei with bronze foliage from the late summer sun. Notice how in the shot above the leaves are green? That's because they face the east and get only morning sun.



That splash of purple (below) in the background is Salvia canariensis var. candidissima


Aloe dawei inflorescence in the morning sun
Aloe dawei in the morning sun

I noticed one of the Aloe Dawei had 10 inflorescences - each branched. This plant is a prolific bloomer. My general plan is to mix it in masses with other aloes and low-water-use plants.

Aloe dawei in the afternoon sun

Aloe dawei flower closeup
Aloe dawei flower closeup

I'm hoping these Aloe dawei fill out even more over the next several years and produce a firework like display of hundreds of inflorescences.

Cuttings

Aloe dawei cuttings


January 2022

 Grown up and transplanted a few times...
 


Comments

  1. They're beauties. None of my Aloes bloom like that but then I usually buy them in 1-gallon containers or even smaller so they've got some growing to do to catch up. Your photos are good advertisements for going big - I should slow down on the quantity of my purchases and size up.

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    1. Kris - thanks. As chief hole digger I wish I could take more credit but these Aloe (and our weather) do all the hard work. I buy lots of smaller plants too... more than I need for sure. I agree that a few strategically placed larger plants gives a new garden (or a new section of garden) good bang for the buck.

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    2. Not overly fond of the east African Aloes (from the wetter climates) but that one puts on a good flower show.

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