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Aloe megalacantha (Large-toothed Aloe) - A slow growing erect shrub aloe that suckers and branches at the base to eventually form a shrub to 5 to 7 feet tall but is usually seen smaller. It has 2-foot-long pale gray-green recurved deeply channeled (canaliculate) leaves that have large pale dull teeth along the margin. The older leaves colors up reddish in winter when the green tipped pale-yellow flowers in large 20-40 inch tall multi branched inflorescences are also most abundant and flowering can linger on into summer.
Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and water occasionally to not at all in our coastal gardens. Hardy to around 28° F. An attractive midsized aloe that with time can be useful as a barrier or hedge plant, but is not fast to fill in.
Aloe megalacantha is widespread in north-east Ethiopia and north-west Somalia where it grows on rocky hillsides and sandy plains from 3,600 to 6,000 feet elevation. The specific epithet comes from the Greek words 'megas' meaning "large" and 'akantha' meaning "thorn" or "spine" in reference to the large teeth on the leaf margins. Our original plants obtained from the Institute of Aloe Studies in 2012 as Aloe megalacantha IAS09-048.
The information about Aloe megalacantha displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
