This spring and going till mid July this Aloiampelos striatula has been flowering at the same time as several Aloe x delaetii have been flowering. I've never had a seed pod from Aloe x delaetii or any other aloes that have flowered over the many years I've had them.
This is the first full season I've had Aloiampelos so I'm not sure of how it likes to behave. Can I assume that these two Aloes have done the deed? Or does Aloiampelos like to set seed so willy nilly?
Edit: should have included a picture of (one of) the fathers...
Hard to say, Andrew. I have grown A. striatula for 30 years and this year is the first year I have seed pods. Whether it is because of the weather this year, increased pollinators, growing 4 clones together, having other aloes in flower simultaneously or just sh!t happens I can't say. Other people I know get seed pods form each year reliably. Raise plants from the seed and find out!
I am not far behind you Paul (25 years in different gardens), but I can't contribute anything to the discussion as I am still waiting for my first flower after all these years.
I can only dream of seed pods .......
I was really optimistic this time around. Three growing seasons and 2 winters without any significant damage, hot and very dry and those pesky miniature snails, that routinely nibble the leaves, have disappeared this summer, but still nothing. Maybe I will be lucky next year? :roll:
Do the flower colours vary at all amongst the different clones you have Paul?
JohnH wrote: ↑Mon Jul 28, 2025 10:29 am
Do the flower colours vary at all amongst the different clones you have Paul?
Yes, although for some reason it wasn't that pronounced this year. I have regular yellow with orange bits, orange, the yellow var caesia (which also has shorter, more upright greyer leaves and a more branched habit) and another yellow. Possibly, fingers crossed, another couple of variants in the pipeline.
Flower colour does seen to vary from one year to the next on the same plant but I have no idea why. One year my orange form was strikingly different, this year the orange took a long while to develop.
