International Succulent Introductions

Aloe sinkatana REYNOLDS

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ISI 2005-10. Aloe sinkatana Reynolds.

A. sinkatana has proven to be one of the most useful small landscape aloes. The two commonly cultivated forms and the A. sinkatana hybrid named A. ‘Rooikappie’ (ISI 2004–13) share some of the species’ best qualities: small stature with rosettes to about 30 cm across, clean, attractively spotted foliage resistant to blemishes, and repeat blooming with capitate inflorescences. However, the limited gene pool in cultivation gives an incomplete picture of the species’ variability. An expedition (members included S Linden, G Barad, S Carter and D Plowes) to the Sudan in Nov 1997 sampled a population at the base of Jebel Awliyi in the Red Sea Hills, three specimens of which are grown at the Huntington. This collection revealed intriguing variations. All have proven to be repeat-bloomers but with a range of vegetative and floral characteristics. We offer seedlings from controlled pollination in various combinations of these three clones: HBG 82338 (caespitose with erect maculate foliage and orange flowers), HBG 82341 (larger solitary rosette, glaucous with reddish teeth and margins and red buds opening mottled orange) and HBG 82380 (larger solitary, glaucous rosette with reddish teeth and margins and yellow flowers). $8.