Did you know that Aloe Vera puts out a flower stalk? Maybe you did, but I didn't until I saw it. Been growing Aloe vera alongside the patio for a few years now, and I never saw it do anything but grow. But here it is the 6th of March, in north Florida, and I'm looking at a rather interesting phenom. Should I NOT be surprised?
Mine bloom twice a year. The hummingbird loves the nectar and becomes very possesive and territorial about the plants as soon as a flower bump appears between the leaves. I think they need to reach a certain size before they bloom.
Garden_
Maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. I kinda felt like I was enjoying something that was sorta rare. Who would have thunk that another gardener 1500 miles away would be miles ahead of me. I should have known.
My little plants have not attracted any hummingbirds. In fact, nothing I have grown has ever attracked any hummingbirds. And I even tried hanging up one of those humminbird feeders. I guess birds don't like me too much.
What is so curious, though, is that we've been growing alow vera as potted plants for more than 20 years. Never saw a flower stalk. But once they were put in dirt, WE GOT FLOWERS! The wife thinks I know what I'm doing. Silly her. I'll enjoy the complements and keep my mouth shut.
Don't be so hard on yourself! Perhaps it is less common for the aloes to flower in your general area. I'm used to aloes as desert/dry climate plants. Florida doesn't qualify as a dry (yet), so perhaps they need root wiggle room in humid climates or your pots did not have enough drainage. Mine are in pots and are get root bound each season until I have time to trim them back. My two mother plants grew from a small, sad looking aloe that a friend gave me when she moved. It never grew vigorously for her. She kept it indoors as a houseplant. I put it outside and it took off in the light and heat. I'm growing the medicinal aloe, aloe vera barbadensis. What variety are you growing?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_cacti_succulents/article/0,1785,HGTV_3557_2953105,00.html
Mine is also the barbadensis. Started as a small potted plant many years ago. It now has its own bed, about 3' x 5' in a very protected spot. Very little direct sunlight and it gets alot of runoff from the roof. But this is the first year it has produced a flower stalk. I never even weed the bed and there is a lot of clover growing with it. Maybe it likes clover?
Well, whatever the reason, you've found the best spot for it! Congratulations.
Hopefully the hummingbirds will show up soon as well. They are very entertaining.
