How to grow Wild Aloe

Requires well-drained, poor, slightly acidic soil and full sun. Frost protection is essential¹.

The plant can be grown on a variety of soils, including sandy, loamy sands, and silty loams that are moderately fertile and well drained⁴. Waterlogged, saline and alkaline soils are unsuitable for aloe cultivation⁴.

The bitter aloe may be grown from seed. Be aware that aloes will hybridise with any other aloe flowering at the same time, so propagation by division is the only reliable way of ensuring a true plant ¹. Sow seed in a well drained medium in shallow trays and cover lightly with sand or the seed will blow away. Once the seeds begin to germinate, keep moist but watch out for overwatering as the seedlings could rot.

Transplant into small pots or bags (1 kg bags) once they are about 4cm high (approximately 6 months), or once they have 3 or 4 leaves⁴. The best time for transplanting young plants is spring or early summer. Mature plants can be transplanted at any time, provided they receive sufficient water ¹. Transplant into a well-drained mixture of sand and compost and after two years they can be planted out into an open ground. About 15-18 cm long root suckers or rhizome cuttings should be planted in such a way that a two-third portion of the planting material is underneath the soil⁴.

Ensure that temperatures are mild (minimum night temperatures should be around 12°C / 54°F) and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Wild aloe is a half hardy plant.

Remove the dead flower heads to keep the plant looking neat.

Aloe ferox can be propagated from seed or stem cuttings⁴. Seeds should be collected in winter or spring, and treated with a fungicide⁴. Aloes will cross-pollinate, so your collected seed may not be true to type.

These estimates for how long Wild aloe takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

The genus name Aloe is derived from the Arabic, Alloch or Alloeh¹, and translated as Allal in Greek and Hebrew, meaning “shining bitter substance”, which describes aloe sap⁵. The species name is from the Latin ferox meaning “very thorny”, referring to the large thorns that cover the leathery edges of the leaves⁴.

Aloe Ferox has been harvested for medicinal purposes for more than 200 years. It also produces 20 times more bitter sap and has higher nutrient concentrations.⁶

Cape Aloe, Aloe ferox, Bitter Aloe, Red Aloe, Bitteraalwyn (Afrikaans), Bergaalwyn (Afrikaans), Inhlaba, Ikhala, Tap Aloe, Alligator Jaw Aloe

Aloe ferox Mill., Aloe candelabrum,

¹ :The South African Gardener’s Survival Manual, by Ann Bonar; First published 1985

² Wikipedia entry on Aloe ferox

³ :Growing Herbs with Margaret Roberts; First published 1985

⁴ South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries brochure on Aloe ferox

⁵ Aloe Vera

⁶ https://jonbarron.org/herbal-library/herbs/aloe-ferox