Kingdom Plantae Clade Monocots Family Asphodelaceae Scientific name Aloidendron pillansii Rank Species | Clade Angiosperms Order Asparagales Subfamily Asphodeloideae Higher classification Tree aloes | |
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Similar Quiver tree, Maiden's quiver tree, Tree aloe, Aloe plicatilis, Aloe pearsonii | ||
Aloe pillansii, the giant quiver tree or bastard quiver tree, is a large, branching species of Aloe indigenous to southern Africa. It is regarded as critically endangered.
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It is a synonym of Aloe dichotoma subsp. pillansii,
Description
This aloe grows up to 15 meters in height. It branches dichotomously, and superficially resembles Aloe dichotoma. It can be distinguished by its paler, wider, recurved leaves, and its taller, more sparsely branched growth form.
Its round, bright yellow flowers are pendant, and hang down below the rosette (unlike those of the other tree aloes). They appear in Spring.
See the Aloe dichotoma article for further information, including the distinction between A. dichotoma var. pillansii and the other subspecies.
Distribution
It is found around the border between Namibia and South Africa, where its natural habitat is upper mountain slopes, in the arid winter-rainfall Richtersveld shrubland. It is severely threatened by habitat loss, illegal collecting, and livestock grazing.
Cultivation
It rarely appears in cultivation, as it is an extremely slow growing species, and difficult to cultivate.
It requires full sun, extremely well-drained rocky mineral soil, and very dry conditions. In habitat, it grows on rocky slopes in a desert region which receives its sparse rainfall predominantly in the winter.
