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It’s an aloe!

By on February 12, 2009 in indigenous, succulent

I never knew this little guy was an aloe – although now that I think about it the red/orange flowers are very similar to the other, larger aloes I have. Its official name is aloe aristata and they were first ‘discovered’ in the Drakensburg in KwaZulu-Natal, but their habitat stretches from the eastern Karoo to [...]

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How cool is spekboom?

By on February 12, 2009 in indigenous, succulent

A recent study in the Eastern Cape has highlighted the fact that the humble spekboom (or ‘elephant’s food’ as it is also known) has an amazing ability to soak up CO2, equivalent to that of  sub-tropical forests. Findings suggest that up to four tons of carbon a year would be captured by each hectare. This [...]

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Mexican Rosette

By on February 10, 2009 in succulent

Another post, another pot plant – but this time I do know its name and where its from.  Its an Echeveria and its as Mexican as tequila and sombreros.  The leaves form an attractive rosette and have a waxy feel to them.  They are very easy to propagate, with a new plant growing from a [...]

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My first plant (and post)

By on February 9, 2009 in succulent

This was the first plant I bought so I think its fitting that it feature in my first post on gardening.  I got it from the farmers market in Westville and its been with me for over five years.  It sparked my interest in plants and was the first of many succulents and cacti I [...]

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