Another amazing South African succulent. The Aloe Plicatilis is a remarkable aloe and incredibly unique. The fan aloe is one the five tree-aloes that grow naturally in South Africa. It undoubtedly earns it’s name from the fan-like display of is long, finger like, leaves. Plicatilis, in latin, also means “fan-like”. While the species is said to grow up to 15’ tall, very rarely, out of its natural habitat, will it reach such one-of-a-kind levels. They are relatively slow growing plants, known to branch at a young age, but will stay tight and compact. In the wild it is only known to grow in a small area of the Western Cape. In order to get the best results with this aloe, mimic the the well-draining, sandy, slightly acidic soil that is found on the side of the rocky slopes. The climate in this pocket of the cape also mimics that of what aeonium are familiar with. The Mediterranean climate has dry, hot, summers followed by cold wet winters. Like the aeonium, Aloe Plicatilis is a winter growing succulent and while it appears hot and thirsty in the summer, its actually quite drought tolerant during its summer dormancy.
