I'm thinking about wrapping my big potted Aloe in burlap for this winter instead of trying to move it into one of the greenhouses. Good or bad idea?

Do you know which Aloe it is and can you keep it dry?

Here's a photo of it Thijs. I've really no way to keep it dry unless I do move it into one of the greenhouses. I was trying to save room by keeping it outside. Not sure at all what kind of winter we're going to have either or how much rain.

I had a nice large aloe that did fine for a few years being outside here in Seattle, but a few years ago we had a sustained freeze for a week, and it didn't make it. I did keep it under a tree so it was on the drier side, but still got some rain. I think if you know it is going to rain more than just a little, you could cover it with a piece of plastic sheeting and remove it once the rain is done.

I think Greg has a good point regarding the water proof cover. The burlap might help with the cold, but if that gets wet it probably means bad news. The plant can probably deal with decent amount of water, as long as it does not get super cold at the same time or it stays wet for weeks. If it is dry and very cold you will probably still see some leaf tip damage, but the burlap should help the plant survive. It is just that combo of wet and below freezing temperatures that is the killer.

We only got one or two just below freezing nights last winter, but it had rained heavily the week before that and I lost a bunch of tender Agaves that had been fine at those just below freezing Ts when dry the year before, it means that this winter I am covering my shade structures with plastic not so much for cold protection but more for keeping any potential rain off the plants in the months of December and January.

Thanks Greg and Thijs, since I have no idea what this winter will be like as far as rain and temps I think my best bet is going to be to just roll it into the warmer greenhouse with the rest of the succulents. I'm just hoping the plastic pot it's in hasn't become too brittle and break off into pieces. It that's the case I'll just repot it in the spring as it has pretty much filled up the pot it's in.

I do agree with Thijs on the burlap. I tried that last year to protect my dormant Plumeria. It was good while it stayed cool and dry but then we suddenly had more rain in December than expected followed by temps overnight in mid 30's. Real bad combo. I was away too and on my return in January, poor Plumeria had bad rotting on some branches when I uncovered it to check on its condition, so had to cut the rotten parts to save the rest of the plant and just bring it in the garage for the rest of the winter season. That helped a lot much better. I thought I will lose my Plumeria, thankfully it bounced back.

My succulents hiding in my growcamp fared better, the plastic covers got them drier. Sometimes it takes just one real nasty low 30's overnight and wet to do bad damage on the succulents.

Tarev, I think my best bet then is going to be to move it into the one greenhouse where the rest of my succulents, Adeniums and Plumeria are. I'll just do some more rearranging. Move all my seed starting mix over to the other one since I use it now for starting seeds. I've still got lots of room under the shelves I made for the succulents so hopefully I can get almost everything into the one greenhouse.

Good plan! I had an Aloe harlana before, which I badly tortured one rainy winter, misunderstood the temperature and cold tolerance it can endure. Lost the plant. I guess I was comparing it to my Aloe gasteria hybrid that always survives our winter here, whether it is a rainy one or not.

So I have learned to stay away from other Aloes, I have no space for them for winter safekeeping. Only the Aloe gasteria hybrid remains outdoors year round, always a trooper.

Thijs, the fall surprise looks fabulous and the weberi replacement well on its way.

Do you think your plant and mine might be related? I never had an ID for this one. It tends to flower this time of year (fall-winter is a good time for Mammillarias here).

Baja, that looks like a pretty close match. In the description of M. k. ssp. nejapensis it is noted for its heavy wool, bristles and long up to 50 mm lower spine. It can divide by basal offsets or dichotomously. On mine the lower spine is not spectacular, but the wool and bristles are starting become more and more obvious, it looks like yours could be a prime example.
Mine flowered early in the year last year so hence the unexpectedness of the new set of flowers.

I don't even know what Aloe this one is, can't even remember how long I've had it.

It looks like 'Aloe Vera' to me, but there are two that look similiar... I think it's A. barbadensis and A. chinesis, but one blooms orange (very common) and one blooms yellow (quite uncommon).

Thijs....

what a beautiful collection you have going. Well worth all the digging. Your yard looks great.

I have seen the A. chrysantha and I like the classic shape and color. You had said you were not sure if the one your friend gave you was a variation or something different. Do you have a pic? Also, do you have any pics of the A. tomentosa. I'd love a peek at the hairy flowers.

I am familiar with the A. ovatifolia. It is one of my favorites. So cool in that it isn't the hugest agave but it has the most unusual stalk I've ever seen. Short, stubby and looks pretty much like an asparagus. Not a real common plant and I have not had an opportunity to see it in person, unless I inadvertently overlooked it at the park or it wasn't in bloom.

I am also familiar with the A. titanota. Nice small agave considering it is about 2' tall x 3'wide. This is quite the opposite of the A. mapisaga var. Lisa. Now that's the mother of all monster plants. Good grief is that thing behemoth! Any thoughts as to placement when when it starts growing in earnest? Space will be a challenge.

In regards to the A. xarizonica, A. xyglomeruliflora and A. cupreata I am unfamiliar with and haven't heard of before. I know of the A. cerulata but that's different than A. cupreata. Do you have some pics of these plants?

AG

Hamwild said:It looks like 'Aloe Vera' to me, but there are two that look similiar... I think it's A. barbadensis and A. chinesis, but one blooms orange (very common) and one blooms yellow (quite uncommon).

Baja should weigh in on this, as the whole Aloe vera thing is pretty confusing, but here is the version of my understanding of the confused Aloe vera identity situation:

afaik true Aloe vera is actually Aloe barbadensis, Aloe chinensis is often misidentified as Aloe vera, but is a different but very common medicinal Aloe species, that these days goes by the name of A. officinalis. The confusion regarding this appears to go back many centuries...

A. officinalis indeed has orange flowers, while true Aloe vera has yellow flowers. The plants are actually also distinguishable without their flowers. Aloe vera being a much bigger plant, that rarely if ever remains spotted once it grows past its juvenile stage. Aloe officinalis tends to remain smaller and often remains spotted into adulthood. With time both will form large clumps of plants, but A. officinalis is way faster when it comes to clumping.

Here is Aloe vera:


And Aloe officinalis is the plant with the clump of plants with the orange flowers in this picture (sorry it is not the clearest picture, but it is all I have access to at work):

The smaller clump of Aloe plants in front of A. officinalis is Aloe x 'Blue Elf' which blooms predominantly red.

Yes, that's how I understand things. There are two separate plants.

Aloe vera was called Aloe barbadensis for a long time but it was discovered fairly recently that the "vera" name takes precedence because it was published first (taxonomists love these kinds of details). By a matter of weeks or months actually, as I remember things. No time at all in the big picture. So

Aloe vera = Aloe barbadensis (old name) (same plant)

As for the plant called chinensis, this is a different plant which also has medicinal properties (which are distinct). This is the relationship established by the 2011 "Definitive Guide" to the Aloes. (Which, in all fairness, does itself a disservice by showing a flower with the wrong color on the Aloe vera species page.)

Aloe officinalis = Aloe vera chinensis (old name) (same plant)

The bottom line is that there are two separate plants (currently separate species) which have in the past both been called Aloe vera, and both been called barbadensis. The differences have to do with the size (Aloe vera usually larger), the presence of spots on adults (Aloe vera adults are mostly unspotted), the flower color (Aloe vera is always yellow), the flower shape (Aloe vera is always ventricose, with a little belly on each flower), and the type of medicine (Aloe vera topical, Aloe officinalis consumed). And if your plant sets viable seed, it is not Aloe vera.

More than you wanted to know.

Hamwild said:It looks like 'Aloe Vera' to me, but there are two that look similiar... I think it's A. barbadensis and A. chinesis, but one blooms orange (very common) and one blooms yellow (quite uncommon).

I'm pretty sure that's what it is, I've never seen it bloom in all the time I've had it. I got it moved into the greenhouse, felt like it weighed 100lbs, and my poor thin skinned arm paid for it with blood.

Glad you got it into the greenhouse, Chris. Do you use a dolly to do it?
Here is a pic of mine I've always thought was aloe vera. I've used it successfully for burns. It blooms orange, so I guess it's not aloe vera. Pardon the messy yard. It was way beyond needing a cleanup.

Hi Karen, no, it wasn't too far from the doorway so I just kind of rolled it. Then once inside I drug it down the walkway and then through the pea gravel on the side to the back where it will sit all winter long. Mine pretty much looks exactly like yours with the spikes on the leaves. I'd love to put mine in the ground next spring but I don't know if it would survive if we get a wet spring or really cold winter.

Good it wasn't too far to move. I really have a job when I move things into the house. They have to go down a set of outdoor stairs and across a gravel driveway and up steps into the house. Fortunately I only have 4 or 5 plants that go inside the house for winter.

So is there any ID on mine? I really stink at plant ID's. I know now it's not aloe vera or A. officinalis.