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Products > Aloe capitata var. quartziticola   Aloe capitata var. quartziticola     [2nd Image] Habit and Cultural Information Category: Succulent Family: Aloeaceae (now Asphodeloideae) Origin: Madagascar Evergreen: Yes Red/Purple Foliage: Yes Flower Color: Yellow & Orange Bloomtime: Winter Height: 2-3 feet Width: 2-3 feet Exposure: Full Sun Summer Dry: Yes Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F Aloe capitata var. quartziticola - A stemless aloe with a dense yet open rosette, most often solitary, with many 2 inch wide by 12 to 18 inch long gray-green fleshy leaves that can have be blushed with bluish, pink or even dark red on the leaves and with red margins and small sharp brown teeth. In mid-winter appear the up to 3 foot tall inflorescences top with dense 4 inch long spherical capitate racemes of orange buds on reddish pedicles that open to display orange-yellow 1 inch long narrow bell shaped flowers that open first from near the top. Plant in full to part sun to light shade in a well-drained soil and give occasional to infrequent irrigation. This aloe is hardier than most Malagasy aloes and is hardy to short duration temperatures down to 25°F and has even withstood 20°F at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek. This is a very decorative plant that is stunning when in bloom. In Aloes: The Definitive Guide it notes that "The most robust and spectacular of the stemless varieties of A. capitata is var. quartziticola, which has large, almost spherical, brightly coloured inflorescences with extremely numerous flowers, sometimes more than 100." This plant comes from quartzite soils over the southern half of the Central Highlands of Madagascar at altitudes of 3,200 to 5,200 feet. The specific epithet is in reference to the capitate flower heads and the varietal name is in reference to the plant growing on a quartzite substrate.  This information is based on research conducted about this plant in our nursery library and from reliable online sources. We also take into consideration observations of it in our nursery of crops, as well as of plants growing in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens we have visited. We will incorporate comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if it includes cultural information that would aid others in growing Aloe capitata var. quartziticola.     [MORE INFO]