| Aloiampelos ciliaris | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asphodelaceae |
| Subfamily: | Asphodeloideae |
| Tribe: | Aloeae |
| Genus: | Aloiampelos |
| Species: | A. ciliaris |
| Binomial name | |
| Aloiampelos ciliaris (Haw.) Klopper & Gideon F.Sm. | |
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| Synonyms [1] | |
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Aloiampelos ciliaris (formerly Aloe ciliaris), the common climbing-aloe, is a thin-leaved and generally rapidly-growing succulent plant from Southern Africa.
The common climbing-aloe can be differentiated from other Aloiampelos species by the way that the soft, white, hair-like teeth ("cilia"=ciliaris) that appear along the leaf margins, extending fully around the stem at the base of the leaf.
The fleshy green leaves are strongly recurved, helping to anchor the tall stems in dense thickets and assist the plant in climbing. The leaf sheaths are conspicuously-striped green and white, though some plants are more green.
In most cases, A. ciliaris will grow quickly, producing long, thin, potentially straggly shoots that create a "messy" look, and the plant may require trellising or selective thinning/pruning to maintain if organic support is not available (such as a hillside, pole, tree, rocks, etc). In nature, or without support, the plant tends to form an ever-widening "mound" and assumes a lateral growth habit. From about November through April, A. ciliaris produces bright orange-red inflorescences; flowering is indicative of sufficient photosynthesis taking place, which may present a challenge for some gardeners as this species can experience sunburn during the hottest periods of the day. Although succulent plants are largely adaptable, A. ciliaris may require some protection from harsh midday sun—a notable difference when compared to true Aloes—and may grow more effectively in shaded areas, often still producing flowers (albeit with richer, dark green foliage).
Aloiampelos ciliaris is naturally widespread in the coastal and chaparral-like vegetation of the Eastern Cape, flowing into the Western Cape border's fynbos habitat. At the bases of dry river canyons and valleys, where they grow in thorny thickets, their long stems develop rapidly upwards and out, searching for the light at the top of the canyon. Their recurved leaves act as hooks, allowing the plants to anchor themselves in the thick vegetation or vertically along rocky hillsides, cliff faces, and canyon walls.
A. ciliaris as a species seems to have developed from a smaller and rarer, more delicate plant now classified as a subspecies, Aloiampelos ciliaris ssp. tidmarshi, and appears to have spread across the region relatively recently. This ancestral subspecies remains restricted to the Albany thickets of the Eastern Cape, from Addo Elephant National Park in the west, east through Makhanda to East London. [2] Along the coast, it is also known from Kenton-on-Sea and Port Alfred, and various areas in-between. [2]
While Aloiampelos ciliaris was once only found in the dry vegetation of the Eastern Cape, from the Baviaanskloof mountains to as far as the Ciskei, this adaptable species has been globally introduced via the plant market, and currently occurs in many regions beyond South Africa, such as coastal Morocco and Eastern Africa. [3] An early introduced population in Kenya was reported in 1950 by botanist G. W. Reynolds (1950:353). A. ciliaris grows very easily from cuttings, and will re-sprout readily from the cut location if pruned. It has been planted in gardens all over Southern Africa, and is among the fastest-growing of all the aloes and their relatives. [4]
Today, the plant is found in both introduced, non-native environments and in home gardens in North America, where it is most commonly found in Southern California and Mexico, but is also known from Florida, Northern California and South Texas. Further south, into Latin America, it is known to grow in the Dominican Republic, Panamá, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Perú and Uruguay. It is even known from the Amazon basin states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Rondônia, Brazil.
In Europe, A. ciliaris is known from the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and the Canary Islands, the north of Spain (Asturias) and Greece. [5]
Outside of Africa, in the Southern Hemisphere, the species is known from coastal regions around Australia, where it has been documented in nearly every state except the Northern Territory. Additionally, it is known from the North Island of New Zealand.
Aloiampelos ciliaris is one of the species in the genus that now grows throughout Southern Africa. Some other species are: Aloiampelos tenuior , Aloiampelos gracilis , Aloiampelos commixta , Aloiampelos juddii and Aloiampelos striatula . [6]
Haworthia is a large genus of small succulent plants endemic to Southern Africa (Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini and South Africa).
Gasteria is a genus of succulent plants, native to South Africa and the far south-west corner of Namibia.
Aloidendron barberae, formerly Aloe bainesii and Aloe barberae, also known as the tree aloe, is a species of succulent plant in the genus Aloidendron. It is native to South Africa northwards to Mozambique. In its native climes this slow-growing tree can reach up to 60 feet (18 m) high and 36 inches (0.91 m) in stem diameter. Aloidendron barberae is Africa's largest aloe-like plant. The tree aloe is often used as an ornamental plant. Its tubular flowers are rose pink (green-tipped); it flowers in winter and in its natural environment is pollinated by sunbirds.
Aloe comosa is a species of flowering plant in the Asphodelaceae family. It is commonly called Clanwilliam aloe) and is endemic to South Africa.
Aloe striata, with the common name coral aloe, is a small, stemless South African Aloe species.
The Albany thickets is an ecoregion of dense woodland in southern South Africa, which is concentrated around the Albany region of the Eastern Cape.
Aloe africana is an arborescent (tree-like) species of aloe plant, indigenous to the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
Kumara plicatilis, formerly Aloe plicatilis, the fan-aloe, is a succulent plant endemic to a few mountains in the Fynbos ecoregion, of the Western Cape in South Africa. The plant has an unusual and striking fan-like arrangement of its leaves. It may grow as a large multistemmed shrub or as a small tree. It is one of the two species in the genus Kumara.
Aloiampelos commixta is a flowering plant in the Asphodelaceae family. It is commonly called Table Mountain aloe, and is a rare succulent plant that is endemic to the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. It naturally occurs only on the Table Mountain range, within the city of Cape Town.
Aloiampelos striatula, formerly Aloe striatula, the hardy aloe or striped-stemmed aloe, is a sturdy succulent plant that naturally occurs on the summits of mountains along the south of the Karoo region of South Africa. Tough and hardy, with bright yellow flowers, it is also cultivated as a garden ornamental.
Aloiampelos tenuior, formerly Aloe tenuior, the fence aloe, is a bushy, multi-branched succulent plant from the grasslands and thickets of the Eastern Cape, Kwazulu Natal and Mpumalanga, South Africa. Its preferred habitat is sandy soils in open country, unlike many of its relatives that favour thicket vegetation. It is one of the most profusely flowering of all aloes and their relatives.
Aloiampelos gracilis, formerly Aloe gracilis, the rocket aloe, is a succulent plant, endemic to dry thicket vegetation around the city of Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Its natural range lies just to the west of the related Aloiampelos ciliaris, and it occurs in bushy fynbos and dry thickets, and clustered on rocky outcrops at all altitudes. Its range extends westwards into the Baviaanskloof mountains.
Aloe perfoliata, the rubble aloe or mitre aloe, is a hardy creeping aloe, found in rocky, mountainous areas throughout the Western Cape, South Africa.
Aloiampelos juddii, formerly Aloe juddii, the Koudeberg aloe, is a newly discovered species that is native to a few rocky outcrops and a farm, near to Cape Agulhas in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Aloiampelos decumbens, formerly Aloe decumbens, the Langeberg rambling-aloe, is a sprawling, succulent plant that is endemic to the fynbos vegetation of the Langeberg Mountains near Swellendam and Riversdale in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Aloiampelos, formerly Aloe ser. Macrifoliae is a genus of succulent plants in the subfamily Asphodeloideae, comprising seven species found in Southern Africa. They are typically multi-branched climbing or sprawling shrubs, with long spindly stems and a large woody base on the ground. These characteristics, as well as their soft, narrow, triangular leaves whose lower part ensheathes the stem, make them easy to distinguish.
Aloe pluridens is an arborescent aloe indigenous to southern Africa.
Aloe speciosa is a species of flowering plant in the Asphodelaceae family. It is commonly called tilt-head aloe and is an arborescent aloe indigenous to the thicket vegetation of the southern Cape Provinces of South Africa.
Aloe rupestris is an arborescent aloe indigenous to summer-rainfall areas of southern Africa.
Gasteria nitida, the Bathurst gasteria, is a succulent plant, native to the Eastern Cape grasslands of South Africa.
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