Aloe polyphylla

[edds]

Sorry, should have been more specific - cotton buds loaded with pollen!

[DesertPlant]

Coming back from being away for two weeks I'm always a bit anxious to see how the plants have gotten on. Much to my surprise I found this!




First time I have one of my own seed grown polyphyllas flowering! This plant is most likely from seed sown in the winter of 2018/2019, and not my biggest plant. Only one plant showing buds, so if people are interested in swapping pollen, please let me know.

[Patrick]

That's got there pretty quick!

[edds]

Great work. Think mine might be taking a break from flowering this year.

[Tina]

That's fast from seed to flowering, well done, do you feed often ? or just a happy plant.

[Paul in Essex]

I've never kept one alive long enough for it to flower so lots of envy here

[Tina]

I'm now on the hunt for a variegated one, my friend sent me a photo of his, always another plant to wish after

[DesertPlant]

I've seen only a few photos of variegated ones!
Haven't fed much, but it's been re-potted a few times, and last time I mixed in some feed granules. That was last year, did feed it once this year with some liquid feed. My strategy so far has been mainly to pot them up early and in bigger pots than you think they need. They fill out quickly in new pots. My oldest, only one year older, has been in a same sized pot (50cm diameter) for 3 years now, and hasn't grown that much the last two years. Can't really go any bigger or I can't get them into the greenhouse for winter, and can't easily leave them outside here in Oxfordshire over winter. Did try that in winter 22/23 with some and last all those which stayed outside. Having said that, some in the greenhouse this year suffered from some rotting leaves, but all have pulled through. I wonder why they were rotting, maybe water was dripping on them or something, but I couldn't really tell.

[edds]

It might be worth trying them outside with a rain shelter. Mine is planted in the ground in Nottingham and doing well so far! My friend has one in a half barrel outside that hasn't been covered for the last few years.