Aloe Vaombe ?

Valley Succulents · Post by **Valley Succulents** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 4:06 pm

I think that I have another miss named Aloe here. This seed pack was labelled Aloe vaombe but I am pretty sure that this is not Aloe vaombe. I found some pics of Aloe vaombe seedlings and the show no signs of spiny bumps on their leaves. Pics of the adult are smoothed leaved. Any help would be appreciated.

Harriet · Post by **Harriet** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 5:58 pm

Looks like A. marlothii to me.

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:08 pm

Harriet wrote:Looks like A. marlothii to me.

I agree, could also be ferox or aculatea or?

iann · Post by **iann** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 7:22 pm

Tony wrote:
I agree, could also be ferox or aculatea or?

This looks like the one that I always thinks looks like A. ferox, but isn't

So that would make it A. marlothii

amanzed · Post by **amanzed** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:55 pm

I don't think it could be A aculeata. It's not easy to make out in this lighting, but I don't see any sign of the lighter base of the prickles that typifies A aculeata. On that species they look almost like whitehead blemishes. All are gorgeous and I have a bunch of A aculeata, marlothii, ferox, and don't forget A excelsa -- (5 aculeata, 7 marlothii, 3 ferox, 1 excelsa).

I talk myself into thinking I can tell the different between young A marlothii and A ferox, but when it comes down to it, I'm not totally sure I can (in some closer-looking cases).

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 7:42 pm

Until I have personally grown all of the thorny leaved aloe plants from seed from reliable sources I will never really know which is which.
I have grown one of each, A. aculeata, marlothii and ferox, from aproximatly the size of the plant in the pic and A. marlothii is the closest match in my eye.

Buck Hemenway · Post by **Buck Hemenway** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 8:17 pm

We've seen thousands of Aloe ferox in the past 6 weeks. That could be. I've seen some with even more prickles that that one. I like to divide ferox and marlothii by skin color. More green for ferox and more grey for marlothii.

You will probably not know for sure until it blooms. I agree that it is not aculeata.