Aloe Ridge - Aloe ferox on steroids

We last visited Aloe Ridge in 2012, and as the flowers on that occasion were poor we had been put off making the rather arduous trip, particularly in view of the relative dry conditions we have experienced since then. However, along the coast, the planted Aloe ferox seemed to be flowering well so we decided to go and see how the population was doing in the area above the Umtamvuna River that Tony Abbott had called Aloe Ridge. We were accompanied by Audrey and Chris Woodley as it is always good security to have a second vehicle when heading cross-country for the last kilometre or so when descending to the ridge. After bumping our way across an old ploughed land we found the track and made our way slowly down the steep slope. From a distance it looked like we had the timing right and so it proved when we stopped and got out of the vehicles.

The Aloe ferox in this area for some reason produce their inflorescenses in the most spectacular range of colours. There seems to be no logic in the colours the plants produce as two adjacent plants can have completely different colours. The photos below - all Aloe ferox - illustrate this but cannot do justice to what one sees in this special place. The ground is stony and dry, and clearly little rain had fallen in recent months. A cold front had passed over during the night and the day started off overcast but by the time we got to Aloe Ridge the sky was clear and it was a pleasantly warm day.

We saw a number of species of Asparagus, some of which had fruit. Hugging the ground like blue gems were Blepharis integrifolia and straggling above them were a few flowers on Plumbago auriculata. We also found one Maerua rosmarinoides in flower. Otherwise almost everything else was shrivelled up waiting for the first spring rains.

Blepharis integrifolia

Maerua rosmarinoides

Participants: Anne S, Audrey W, Chris W, Debbie K, Dorothy M, Graham G, Kate G, Maggie A, Mervyn T, Uschi T.