Family: Aizoaceae
Habitat: Southern Africa
Cultivation: Really easy to take care of. It needs plenty of light for a few hours every day, except during the hottest hours, especially in Summer. Water weekly in Summer,and every 2-3 weeks in Autumn and Winter.
Curiosity: The word Aloinopsis means “similar to Aloe”: that’s because of its similarity to some dwarf Aloe species, although the two genuses don’t even belong to the same species.

– KEY FEATURES

Aloinopsis are dwarf succulents: their maximum height is 10 centimeters and so it is their maximum diameter (between 10 and 15 centimeters). Their astonishing flowering their often special appearence and their small size make them really appreciated as indoor plants.
The colors of their leaves go from greyish-green to almost blue. They are generally spoon-shaped and arranged in rosettes. Another remarkable feature of the leaves are the peculiar white spots in relief. The blossoming period occurs in the end of Winter. Their flowers look like colourful daisies, with a central stripe, red or brown, in the petals. Roots are actually big tubers which tend to appear upon the soil surface and to give birth to new rosettes.

VARIETY AND TYPES

The genus Aloinopsis is widespread in many regions of Southern Africa. Here below are some species of Aloe. In the case of uncertain genus attribution, the alternative names are in parenthesis. Try to check our online shop in the section “Aloinopsis” to find some of them!

• A. Malherbei
• A. Meridionalis
• A. Peersii
• A. Orpenii
• A. Rosulata
• A. Rubrolineata
• A. Schooneesii
• A. Schwant
• A. Setifera
• A. Aloides (also Nananthus Aloides)
• A. Hilmarii (also Deilanthe Hilmarii)
• A. Spathulata
• A. Thudichumii
• A. Vittata (also Nananthus Vittatus)
• A. Villetii

TIPS FOR GROWING

Here are our tips for growing Aloinopsis:

SUN EXPOSURE:
Aloinopsis generally need plenty oof light, without exposing them to direct light during the hottest hours of the day. The ideal spot for an Aloinopsis should have light during the morning or late afternoon.
TEMPERATURE:
Aloinopsis are resistant plants: it can survive to temperatures until -4ºC. We advise anyway to put it indoors when the temperature falls below 0ºC.
WATERING:
Water every week during the Summer and every two-three weeks in the other seasons. If you are growing your Aloinopsis outdoors, pay attention to prolonged rains during the winter, that can damage the tubers of the plant. Many Aloinopsis species grow during the Winter so they could need weekly waterings also during Winter.
SUBSTRATE:
Use a well drained substrate: a cactus mix is the better option. Manure the substrate once a month during Spring and Summer.
REPOTTING:
Aloinopsis are small plants and don’t need frequent repottings.
PROPAGATION:
Propagation can be carried out using seeds or cuttings. The sowing period is in the end of Winter and in Spring. Cuttings can be taken off from the new rosettes came out from the bulbs.