Sprial Aloe at UC Berkeley Botanical Garden

If anyone is interested, we have Aloe polyphylla (Spiral Aloe) for sale at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden in Berkeley, California. 4", 6" and 2 gallon.

Music to my ears! You know I've been longing for one for a while. What days are you open for sales?

Plant deck is open 7 days a week, 9-5. I think the Gift Shop, where you usually pay for the plants, is open at 10:30. If you come before then someone in the kiosk can help you.

If you want to come on a Tuesday or Thursday I'm there by about 10am. Just ask someone in the kiosk to have me paged.

I just came back from the UC Botanical Garden with a spiral aloe--thank you for the tip! Beautiful plant!

You're very welcome. Tell all your friends! LOL!!

Which size did you get?

Cheap but patient, I went for the 4" pot. Any quirks or curiosities that I should be aware of in terms of caring for it? (Beyond what is already on the tag, that is?)

The biggest things are to make sure that it's overpotted (it will get lots of roots) or put into the ground, and that the soil is somewhat rich and fast-draining. It should also be planted at about a 30deg angle so that any water easily drains from the center of the plant. It was found that water collecting in the center of the plant was the biggest reason A. polyphylla rotted out in the winter. If you want lots of particulars, here's a website which can tell you everything you ever wanted to know about it. It's by the person who was responsible for importing A. polyphylla into the U.S. and getting it established here.

http://www.ecotree.net/

Cool! I took a picture of one at the SF Botanical Garden.

What? Were you up in the beds again, Sue? Shame on you! HEHEHEHEHEHEHE!!!

Really, that's an awesome picture of one of our plants. Good for you!

Nope, last May at the SF plant sale, not Berkeley, I wasn't in the beds, really, I was good!

Oops!! You clearly said SF, not Berkeley. Duh! You were probably good only because Kell wasn't with you. LOL!!

Was this one they had in the ground or one that was for sale? If for sale, how much did they want for it?

It was in the ground, if I remember right, near the entryway.

I'll be over there in July - I'll have to take a look at it then. It looks huge!

The plant pictured in Sue's photo--a beautiful specimen on the right hand side of the walkway as you enter the SF Botanical garden from the main entrance--was my inspiration for hauling myself over to Berkeley to buy one from the UC Botanical garden. Someone should put a (discreet) tag next to the San Francisco plant directing viewers to the plant sale deck at UC. Where else, after all, are you going to find Aloe polyphylla around here?

Thanks again, faeden. Keep spreadin' the word.

We now have three smaller ones in our entrance. They should be spectacular in a few years. Our large ones are on the south side of the African Hill and aren't visible until you go past the west side and around the corner. I think we should put a couple on the west side too!

Thanks for coming over and buying your plant from us. Come back again and spend some time in the Garden - you'll be amazed at all of our plants.