This aloe is actually an endangered species worldwide, with plants living up to 50 years

By: Shitou

In daily life, many gardening enthusiasts love aloes, of course also because aloes are easy to grow and readily form clumps, and they have many uses. Varieties such as Chinese aloe and tree aloe are edible; varieties such as Bu Ye Cheng and snowflake aloe are beauty varieties that can be applied to the face. And growing aloes indoors not only beautifies the home but also purifies the air. These common aloes are very easy to buy, and the unit price is not high either.

But the aloe to share today is basically very rare in China. It is the spiral aloe, also known as the aloe queen. The reason for such a grand name is that it truly is a rare variety in the world, currently on the verge of extinction and listed as a world endangered species.

The spiral aloe grows in the Kingdom of Lesotho in eastern Africa. It is a high-mountain aloe growing in a high-cold region, and the plant's lifespan can reach 50 years. Some people may wonder: how could such a long-lived aloe become an endangered species? In fact, this is related to the spiral aloe's own reproductive situation. Unlike the common aloes we know, which easily grow side shoots, the spiral aloe happens not to be like this. It is very difficult for it to grow side shoots, and even if side shoots grow, they are new shoots produced only after the leaf tissue is artificially damaged, and the number is extremely small.

Generally, propagation can only rely on seeds, because the spiral aloe is also a sexually reproducing species, and only after flowering and pollination can viable seeds be produced. But the spiral aloe grows in a high-cold zone, blooms only once in many years, and after blooming the pollination success rate is also low. So the number of seeds is relatively small as well, and therefore its numbers have never been able to increase. Things are precious when they are rare, and the spiral aloe is also dug up by people abroad, so its numbers are even fewer.

The reason the spiral aloe is called the spiral aloe is that its leaves rise layer by layer like a spiral, with two types, left-spiraling and right-spiraling, but the variety is the same. A mature spiral aloe can grow about 90 leaves, and the plant's diameter can reach 50 cm, making it a medium-sized aloe. Generally the leaves spiral upward layer by layer, very beautiful, so many people like the spiral aloe. Coupled with its low propagation efficiency, its price is very high. Basically, the unit price of a mature spiral aloe is above 10,000 yuan.

And in China, we almost never see merchants selling spiral aloe seedlings or plants. Many sell spiral aloe seeds. A reminder to everyone: when buying spiral aloe seeds, you must be careful and cautious, because its seeds are not very common in China either, and the prices are relatively high.

In fact, Shitou feels that for these fine aloes, you do not necessarily have to own them; viewing them is also a kind of enjoyment. Even if we could buy a pot, we might not be able to grow it very well. If we kill it, it would instead be a loss. Better to let it grow well in someone else's care, and not let it become an endangered species again.

I am [Shitou Gardener], and I share gardening tips every day. Remember to follow me.