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Aloe littoralis (Windhoek Aloe) – Aloe littoralis is a tall non-branching tree aloe to 10 feet tall with rosettes of 2-foot-long lanceolate gray-green leaves that have reddish-brown margins. These leaves are sometimes white spotted on upper and lower surfaces on young plants and upwardly inclined at first but dry with age to remain hanging down along the length of the stem. In late fall to early winter the branching inflorescence rises 3 to 4 feet above the leaf crown with spikes of coral-red flowers.
Plant in full sun in a well-drained soil and water little to occasionally in summer months. This summer growing species is known as hardy to at least 25°F but flowers and developing fruit may be harmed by frost.
Aloe littoralis is native to Northern Province in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana and Angola in rocky alkaline habitats receiving 4 to 20 inches of rain per year. It is the plant pictured on the emblem of Windhoek City, the capital of Namibia, and is also on this country's 5 cent coin. The specific epithet 'littoralis' means "of the seashore" and is in reference to the location the plant was first found in Angola. Other common names include Mopane Aloe or Mopanie-aalwyn. Our plants grown from seed collected off plants in cultivation that wer supplied to us in 2007 by Brian Kemble, curator at the Ruth Bancroft Garden and we grew it from 2010 to 2013.
Information displayed on this page about Aloe littoralis is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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