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Few gardens have the space or conditions to grow these extraordinary aloes, but it is worth the space and trouble. These plants never fail to attract attention to a garden. 1 Aloe dichotoma x Aloe ramosissima hybrid is easier than either one of the species to grow. 2 Aloe pilansii the top of the range of "must have" for the serious experienced aloe gardeners. It is also the most difficult of the tree aloes to grow - if you are able to get one! 3 Aloe ramosissima is the smallest of this group but more difficult than Aloe dichotoma when grown out of habitat.
Above:- Aloes growing in the Vanruynsdorp nursery situated in habitat of these aloes. Below:- Aloe dichotoma, Aloe ramosissima and a hybrid in the garden.
Below:- 4 Aloe barberae below is not from a harsh habitat and an easy tree aloe to grow in a garden. The range of this aloe is a broad coastal zone from East London in South Africa northwards up to Mozambique.
Above:- This is a group of trees planted together. Here it is growing very well in the winter rainfall frost free climate. Aloe barberae does not like frost but even there you will find them in gardens in Namaqualand or in the Karoo botanical garden where there is frost. The secret is that it is dry frost and the trees were protected by other plants or against a house. Wet and cold kills most aloes. This tree grows high. The wall is two meter high on the photo above.
Here is Aloe barberae as a single tree planted next to Aloe marlothii to the left and Aloe ferox to the right. Both species are also described as tree aloes. The photo was taken in the botanical garden near Worcester. The tree grows on a hill where the cold air will move downhill quickly. This climate is very dry compared to the habitat of Aloe barberae which proves again that this is an easy aloe to grow.
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