Synonyms:

No synonyms are recorded for this name.

Habitat:

Aloe peglerae is endemic to South Africa, in particular to Gauteng and another province in the North-west. It is extremely rare in the wild and is considered a threatened species. The main cause of the reduction of its population is over-collecting. It is now illegal to collect this species in its wild habitat. This species is involved in many ex-situ conservation programmes, and it’s grown in many botanical gardens like, for example, the Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden. It is listed in the Red Data list of South Africa as an endangered species on the extinction queue if not protected with conservation measures.

Description:

Aloe peglerae, also called “Fez aloe”, is a small plant, is a stemless aloe, forming rosettes of pointed, triangular leaves, reaching 40 centiemters in height and 35-40 in width. Its bluish, glaucous leaves curve upward and on themself to form a spherical rosette. Intense sunlight enhances the reddish tinge of leaves edges. The back side of the leaves and their edges show spiny protuberances, regularly arranged in vertical lineds. The inflorescence is a spike, 30 centimeters tall, crowded with scarlet red, tubular flowers, opening gradually from the base of the stalk towards the top. This gradual opening results in spikes with the already withered flowers at their base and a scarlet point, made of the ongoing blossoming. The blooming season occurs in summer, in July-August. Flowers are tubular, red with purplish stamens protruding from the flower tube. Pollinators, in the wild habitat, are birds, bees and also the wind.

Cultivation:

Aloes thrive in warm climates and need to be protected from cold temperatures. Here below are our tips:

Aloe peglerae, if grown indoors, needs a bright spot like a windowsill, exposed to direct sunlight. When grown outdoors, instead, some attention must be paid especially during the hottest hours of Summer days: it could be advisable to place it under filtered light or partial shade at least in these moments. In general, A. peglerae enjoys filtered light or partial shade more than other Aloes, that instead thrive with a direct exposure.
Ideal temperatures are around 20-24 ° C. The minimum tolerated temperature, instead, is around 5-8 ° C above zero: with the arrival of the Winter, it is therefore advisable to move it indoors or repair it in small greenhouses if it’s in a pot or to shelter it if it is planted in the ground. If you live in a climate area with cold Winters, sheltering and protections may not be enough.
In Spring and Summer, water abundantly and unfrequently, though always waiting for the soil to dry up completely before each irrigation. Avoid to wet the leaves: water stagnation inside them may cause rottings. In winter, watering should be completely suspended.
Sandy, slightly acidic soils are ideal for all Aloes. A specific substrate for succulents, that can be found in any nursery, will do good.
Fertilization can be done once during the growth season, in Spring or Summer, with a specific product for succulents, diluted at half the doses recommended on the label.
The plants grow rapidly and will need to be repotted each year early in the spring. Wide, shallow pots are recommended, having a poorly developed radical apparatus.
Aloe peglerae is a clumping plant and produces abundant offsets. If you wish to obtain a single, fully developed plant, it’s better to remove the offsets sometimes, unless the plant won’t grow in height, because of the competition between shoots.
Another maintanance task is to remove old flower stalks, that remain on the plant once withered. If you want to obtain seeds, instead, leave the flower stalk until the seeds are ready to be collected.

Propagation:

Aloe peglerae can be propagated both by seeds and offsets. The shoots should be picked up late in the spring and be placed in a moist substrate until rooting. The division of old plants is the most advisable method of propagation: it is extremely simple to realize and has a very high rate of success.

Curiosity:

Aloe peglerae was named after a botanist and naturalist called Alice Marguerite Pegler, who first collected the species in South Africa, in an area around Kentani and, later, in another site close to Johannesburg. It is not deemed to have particular medicinal properties, unlike the popular Aloe vera, and it’s collected mainly for ornamental purpose.

Official Web Site:
www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

Tips:
Read our advice