Scientific Name
Aloe chabaudii Schönland
Common Name(s)
Chabaud's Aloe, Chizarira Escarpment Aloe, Dwala Aloe, Grey Aloe, Hunyani Range Aloe, Vereker's Dwala Aloe, Zambezi Gorges Aloe
Synonym(s)
Aloe chabaudii var. chabaudii
Scientific Classification
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Genus: Aloe
Etymology
The specific epithet "chabaudii (shaw-BOH-dee-eye)" honors John A. Chabaud, a plant grower in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in whose garden the original specimens flowered.
Origin
The native range of Aloe chabaudii is Botswana, South Africa (Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal), Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), also Congo, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. It usually grows on bare rock on granitic domes or in shallow soil pockets, often in dense colonies.
Description
Aloe chabaudii is a succulent plant that forms stemless or short-stemmed rosettes of grey-green to glaucous green leaves, often flushed with pinkish-red and sometimes with few spots on the upper surface. It freely produces offsets, forming large, dense clumps with age. The leaves are ovate-lanceolate with deltoid, brown-tipped teeth measuring up to 24 inches (60 cm) long and 6 inches (15 cm) wide.
The flowers are bright coral-pink or sometimes pale orange to yellow and appear in a many-branched panicle with up to 15 racemes in mid-winter. The panicle can grow up to 5 feet (1.5 m) tall. The flowers are tubular and can reach up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) in length and 0.35 inches (0.9 cm) in diameter. The seed pods are ovoid, greyish-brown capsules that contain blackish-brown seeds with broad, pale buff, speckled wings. They can grow about 0.8 inches (2 cm) long and 0.4 inches 91 cm) in diameter.
How to Grow and Care for Aloe chabaudii
Light: When growing A. chabaudii indoors, place your plant in a window with plenty of bright indirect sunlight. Rotate the pot once or twice a week so that all sides of the plant receive equal lighting. Outdoors provide light shade, especially during the hottest parts of the day.
Soil: Plant A. chabaudii in a well-drained soil mix formulated for succulents or make your own. Drainage is essential because too much moisture around roots can cause root rot.
Temperature: This succulent grows at its best at temperatures between 50 to 85 °F (10 to 30 °C). When temperatures shift below 50 °F (10 °C), it is time to bring your plant back inside. A. chabaudii can withstand temperatures as low as 25 °F (-3.9 °C). USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 9b to 11b, 25 to 50 °F (-3.9 to 10 °C).
Watering: This succulent does need regular watering but is very tolerant of drought conditions for short periods. Water deeply, but only when the soil is dry. Cut back on watering during the winter months. Do not let water stand in the rosettes.
Fertilizing: A. chabaudii generally does not require fertilizer but may benefit from the extra nutrients. Feed with a fertilizer for succulents in spring and summer only. Be sure to follow the label directions.
Repotting: This plant is not particularly fast-growing and will only rarely need repotting. Repot it in the spring in a container a few inches larger in diameter every few years to keep it from becoming rootbound.
Propagation: Propagating A. chabaudii can be done using seeds or offsets from a mature plant. Remove the offsets from late spring to early summer. For best results, sow seeds during the warm months.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Aloe.
Toxicity of Aloe chabaudii
A. chabaudii is not listed as toxic for people and pets.
Links
- Back to genus Aloe
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
