August: Aloe

[MikeT]

Last night's Zoom talk prompted the idea of Aloes as a topic. Searching through previous topics, it doesn't seem to have been done before. There are plenty of Aloes around in collections, with choice of plant or flower (or both) photos, so it's Aloe for August.

[PhilipPV]

Not my plant, but here is a photo of one of the Aloe polyphylla at Cambridge University Botanic Garden which I took in February. It's showing signs of the nasty cold snap nest December, but even the damaged leaves manage to be arranged symmetrically.

I'll have to see if I can manage a few artistic shots of my own aloes, most of which are quite young and not impressive as individual plants. I have got one hybrid coming into flower but is seems very slow to open.

[MikeT]

Not my plant

Nothing in my criteria to prevent that.

most of which are quite young and not impressive as individual plants.

It's the photo that I'll be judging, not the plant. So a young plant is fine.


The photo competition is a chance to post photos that may well be of interest, and maybe generate some response, even if you don't think there's any chance of it 'winning'.

[juster]

My Aloe haworthioides a few years ago.
And just for interest, two of them flowering, also a few years ag

[MatDz]

A. polyphylla in photo competitions feels almost like cheating with their perfectly symmetrical growth

[edds]

I decided, as I don't have too many Aloes to completely photobomb this competition with every aloe I own (although I didn't put every polyphylla I have, just the largest!)

A.polyphylla

A.marlothii

'Cleopatra'

Christmas Carol

A.jucunda

A.pegleri

A.striatule forms, A.aristata and A.arborescens

Now onto seedlings,

A.ferox (from BCSS seed)

A.maculata

A.capitata 'Tsiroanomandidy'

A.arborescens ssp.mzimnyati

A.littoralis

[WoBo]

A somewhat challenging topic: With the standard photo formats it's almost impossible for most Aloe species to show both flowers and plant at once - unless one don't mind to have a photo consisting of 90 % background or even more ...

Here's the more compact flowering species Aloe castilloniae

and Aloe bakeri, a small one, too (but a far less impressive plant than the previous one, so I have placed the leaves out of focus).

Regarding an appropriate background, mass production may work, too: Aloe vera on Gran Canaria.

Alternatively I, of course, focus on either the flowers or the vegetative plant only.
Aloe albiflora, not the most colourful and typical Aloe flower, but I think it's definitely worth a closer look.

An unnamed Aloe hybrid behind a cottage I had spent some vacations on Tenerife.

Flower detail of an Aloe marlothii in a park on La Palma.

A bulk of Aloe brevifolia - not mine, too; I found it in a park on El Hierro.

Finally, I could recycle my entries of the May competition ...

Hope you enjoy!

Wolfgang

[MikeT]

Thanks to everyone who entered; I won't attempt to comment on every entry.

I was very impressed by Juster's Aloe haworthiodes, superb plants, which would surely win first prize if the plants themselves were being judged. It must be quite a job to move one around or repot

Also impressed by Ed's plants, some very attractive hybrids, and I love the colour of those A. pegleri leaves.

Wolfgang had a great combination of not only attractive plants, but also beautiful photography. The marlothi flower close-up and the polyphylla leaf close-up with the lighting effect would both make a great card or photo to mount. But my choice for winner is the Aloe castilloniae. There are multiple elements drawing the eye; it has colour, it has the different textures, of flower, leaf, and teeth. Another one that would make a great card or mounted picture.

So congratulations and over to you, Wolfgang, for September's topic.

[WoBo]

Thanks to Mike for passing the trophy on to me - and to the (this time quite few) other contestants for, nevertheless, providing this wide range of impressive plants and pictures!
Let's see if my idea for the September topic will bring a few more posts ... I'd appreciate that because .. and without participants, I'd like to add!


Wolfgang