About
Aloe excelsa, the Zimbabwe aloe, is a tall single-stemmed tree aloe of south-central Africa, named for the many specimens around the ruins of Great Zimbabwe.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Water
- Plenty of water in the growing season, then a distinct cool, dry rest when it flowers.
- Mature size
- Usually about 3 m, occasionally 5–6 m tall.
Field notes
Morphology
Usually about 3 m tall, sometimes 5–6 m, with a trunk cloaked in dead leaves. The crown is a compact rosette of recurved, dark green leaves up to 1 m long. Young plants have spiny leaf faces; with height the spines remain only on the margins.
Distribution & habitat
A fairly small area from the Limpopo mountains of South Africa north through southern Zimbabwe into hilly country south of the Zambezi in Mozambique.
Cultivation notes
Valued by gardeners and park planners for its imposing form and tolerance of varied conditions. It does best with ample water in the growing season followed by a cool, dry spell, when it flowers.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique
- IUCN status
- Least concern
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Crossed A. excelsa with another species?Register the cross. If it's not documented yet you'll be the first contributor; if someone already registered it, you'll be taken there to add your photo.