Any ideas about these little gems

By on March 19, 2009 in garden

I’ve been told they are indigenous and that they are also used as a protection plant of sorts in Zulu culture. That is all I know. Anyone got any more to say?

Who are you little spikey plant?

Who are you little spiky plant?

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8 Responses to Any ideas about these little gems

  1. Steve March 19, 2009 at 10:06 am #

    I think it’s a type of aloe, like a smaller more sinuous version of Aloe aristata.

    An Nyanga I know near Rorke’s Drift told me, rather enigmatically, that these spiky little plants are planted in pots around the homestead “to keep away animals that are neither wild nor domestic”.

    Which leaves only the category of “supernatural” animals, or amanunu. Lucky you won’t ever find out what danger they pose, protected as you are by your little aloes.

  2. Ross March 24, 2009 at 9:54 am #

    It looks like Sedum morganianum, but I’m not sure? Donkey tail is not normally as compact as the plant in your photo.

  3. Niall McNulty March 25, 2009 at 10:12 am #

    steve – that is really interesting. do you know of other plants which have supernatural as opposed to medicinal uses?

    ross – could the donkey tail not compact (kinda ‘bonsai’) itself if it was kept in a small pot?

  4. Ross March 25, 2009 at 2:03 pm #

    Thats what I was thinking? They could also still be quite small. I also saw an Aloe juvenna today which looks quite similar, but is covered in spines along the leaf edges.

  5. Hedmekanik March 31, 2009 at 6:03 am #

    I’ve heard that cabbage trees (Cussonia) are planted at the entrance to homesteads as a protective measure. Whether that’s from the burglarisors or shapeshifting denizens of the otherworld, I dunno…

  6. T April 30, 2009 at 3:47 pm #

    Hi, guys
    It is one of the hawarthia plants. Distantly related to aloes.
    T

  7. JOOP August 30, 2009 at 9:04 pm #

    agree with T haworthia

  8. JennyE May 5, 2011 at 7:37 pm #

    Could this not be an ASTROLOBA ?

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