Woot! Aloe!

[WhiteRabbit]

Aloe barbadensis - I think ...

I'm such a nerd lol
Was watering plants out back today and was surprised by one of my aloes (all are pups from same mother)
I discovered a nice bloom stalk! Woot! A first for me!




I guess it likes orchid fertilizer

[Zoi2]

That's pretty cool.
I've had an aloe plant in the kitchen for years (basically for burns) it grows and grows and I give plants away. It has never bloomed, I never even thought about it--what an air head I am!
How are you growing yours?
Joann

[WhiteRabbit]

hehe - I had an aloe for years and never thought about it blooming til I saw a picture of one blooming lol and had the same sorta 'duh' reaction. So then - I was trying to find out how to get them to bloom - never could find info. All the care info doesn't address blooming.
So I moved them where they would get more sun than previously (had actually been growing quite shaded) Where they are now they get afternoon sun - don't know if it's for too long during the winter, but I guess it's been enough. I also started fertilizing them fairly regularly last year, and they probably get orchid fertilizer pretty frequently. Laid off the fertilizer over winter.
Whether or not the fertilizer made the difference or the plant has just matured and would have 'spiked' anyway - idk
It also looks like it could use a fairly bigger pot - but maybe it likes being cramped - again - I don't know if that has made a difference

Thanks for sharing in my excitement!

[Izzie]

Sounds like you did the right thing! This is going to be so exciting when it blooms- I can't wait.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Izzie

Sounds like you did the right thing! This is going to be so exciting when it blooms- I can't wait.

hehe - thanks Izzie
found a pic of the blooms here http://www.freewebs.com/tenerifebard...ergroupres.jpg

They look like hummingbirds may enjoy them

I'm glad there are others that share my excitement over this - I've been feeling like such a geek

[Zoi2]

Duh is right for what I'm feeling now.
I have the silly thing on a window sil in a large North window, I can't even imagine the temp changes it gets let alone the lack of sunlight!
Now I'm going to repot it and actually give it some care and see what happens
Joann

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Zoi2

Duh is right for what I'm feeling now.
I have the silly thing on a window sil in a large North window, I can't even imagine the temp changes it gets let alone the lack of sunlight!
Now I'm going to repot it and actually give it some care and see what happens
Joann

that's great - and I bet it will grow pups for you too, so you can still have a plant or two on your windowsill! As for temp changes - mine are outdoors and take at least short periods at night down to freezing
I don't know if they need to get to a certain size before they bloom. This one was not very big a few years ago but has gotten to be pretty big in that short time

[Tindomul]

Thats gorgeous!! I can't wait to see your bloom. These remind me a lot of Red hot pokers, Kniphofia foliosa, I saw in Ethiopia,
and also this species of aloe (2nd photo) that I haven't ID'd yet. Found it growing wild in Hawaii.
All in the Asphodelaceae family.
Supposed to have coloured nectar, I think you should check it out for us

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Tindomul

Thats gorgeous!! I can't wait to see your bloom. These remind me a lot of Red hot pokers, Kniphofia foliosa, I saw in Ethiopia,
and also this species of aloe (2nd photo) that I haven't ID'd yet. Found it growing wild in Hawaii.
All in the Asphodelaceae family.
Supposed to have coloured nectar, I think you should check it out for us

thanks Tin - apparently this species can have yellow or orange blooms - don't know what mine will have ? I'm just gonna expect yellow as the few I have seen blooming in my area have had yellow lol - maybe that's more common -
The mother plant this pup came from - I got as a gift for my mom gotta be around 20 years ago - just something had picked up at the drug store

hmm ... well I can try to see if it has colored nectar Will wait for blooms and then maybe have a go

[Izzie]

Wow! Now that you've posted the pics- I've seen those EVERYWHERE in CO. They're absolutely massive. I thought they were a different species than the little one in my window- which has pale spots.