Aloe Aloe

In this month’s horticulture blog we’re focusing on a whole whānau of plants – the Aloe family!

A genus containing over 500 species of flowering succulents, these plants come in an incredible and diverse array of shapes and sizes; some grow low to the ground in a beautiful rosette of thick fleshy toothed leaves, while others spring up as tall trees full with branching flowers.

Out of these 400 or so species, 56 are listed as Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list – as they face substantial habitat loss in their native homes. 

These spiny-leaved, evergreen succulents are part of the Asphodelaceae family and originate from tropical climates like Southern Africa, Madagascar and many islands found in the Indian Ocean. Derived from the Latin word sucus, which means juice or sap, many succulents have drought-resistant qualities and store water in their leaves. Amazingly, some species of Aloe can live for more than 200 years! They’ve even been known to survive fires as the roots are able to grow back after the leaves and flowers of the plant die. 

The most famous of the medicinal Aloe plants is, of course, Aloe vera. The translucent inner pulp of the Aloe vera, as well as the yellow resinous liquid inside, is used to treat a variety of minor burns and sunburns - and this was the case as far back as the Roman Empire!

At Auckland Zoo, it’s important to us that our wildlife and our visitors are immersed in naturalistic landscapes. One of the ways we do this is by using plants that are native to the wild places and continents that are represented at the zoo. Our horticulture team select and nurture these iconic flora so they can flourish and this is why the majority of our Aloes are found within our African habitats. You’ll see several large groupings of succulents full of vibrant blooms by our giraffes as well as near our African big cats; cheetah, lions and servals. Some of these varieties are; Aloe thraskii, Aloidendron barberae, Kumara plicatilis, Aloe speciose, Aloe arborescens, Aloe alooides.

As you’ll know if you grow these in your home garden, Aloe plants require little maintenance which makes them a popular choice of houseplant. It is easy to grow most Aloes from seed, or they can be propagated from cuttings. Aloes are also attractive for visiting birds and bees as their flowers are a good source of nectar.

Many species are cultivated especially for their pointy-leaves and densely clustered red, burnt orange and yellow flowers that bloom every year. When fertilised, these flowers will form small fruits with tiny papery seeds inside.

Come and view our gorgeous plants while you’re visiting our African wildlife! Most Aloe’s are winter bloomers so now is the perfect time to see them in all their glory. Stay tuned for the next blog in this series and if you have any recommendations on plants we should cover or questions for our horticulture experts, flick us an email!