Blooming aloes on the UC Davis campus

Last week a friend told me that the aloes on the UC Davis campus were in bloom. I couldn’t wait to go to see for myself. I went on Saturday but the photos I took were too contrasty because it was a clear and sunny day. That’s why I was very happy to wake up to an overcast sky on Sunday, and I ended up retaking most of my photos from the day before. (Photography tip: Overcast conditions are much better for plant photography than bright sun.)

I started at the Botanical Conservatory greenhouses on Kleiber Hall Drive.

Aloe arborescens

Aloe arborescens and Aloe littoralis (the tree-like specimens) outside the Botanical Conservatory greenhouses

Here I found Aloe arborescens, Aloe littoralis and Aloe microstigma in bloom. Others, including Aloe × spinosissima, Aloe buhrii and Aloe hereroensis, weren’t quite there yet.

Aloe arborescens and Aloe littoralis (the tree-like specimens)

Aloe microstigma

Aloe microstigma

 

Aloe microstigma

It looks like this huge clump (Aloe maculata?) didn’t get much, if any, water last summer. While most of the rosettes are very much alive, this is not the kind of look you want in your garden.

From the Botanical Conservatory I walked over to Storer Hall. In front of Storer Hall is the UC Davis Cycad Garden. The African cycads are interplanted with many different aloes.

In case you want to know more about aloes…

Aloe ferox

Aloe ferox and Encephalartos horridus

 

Aloe marlothii (or hybrid with Aloe ferox)

Aloe melanacantha

 

Aloe melanacantha

Aloes outside of Storer Hall (the pale one in the middle if Aloe comosa)

Aloe suprafoliata

Aloe striata

Aloe striata or A. striata hybrids

From Storer Hall I took the path between the Sciences Lab Building and Haring Hall. Here you’ll find several beds planted with aloes, euphorbias and other African succulents as well as a large bed planted with palo verdes, Yucca rostrata and cacti native to the American Southwest (fodder for another post).

Aloe arborescens

Aloe marlothii

 

Aloe ferox

Aloe ferox

Aloe reitzii

 

Aloe africana with a short trunk

My final stop were the plantings next to the Sciences Lab Building along Hutchison Drive.

Aloe arborescens and Star of Madeira (Echium candicans ‘Star of Madeira’)

The bed you’ll see in the next set of photos has nice specimens of Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii, among others.

Aloe plantings next to the Sciences Lab Building

Aloe plantings next to the Sciences Lab Building

Foreground: Aloe microstigma

Aloe ferox (left), Aloe marlothii (right)

 

Aloe ferox

Aloe ferox (left), Aloe marlothii (right)

Aloe marlothii

Aloe marlothii

Aloe marlothii

Aloe striata flowers

My favorite aloe of them all was Aloe hereroensis. Check out the stunning flowers and the beautiful rosette! The leaves are very pale and can take on a pink tinge. On some specimens the striping seems to be more pronounced than on others. Apparently this is a very common species in Africa, but here it is anything but. I’ll be on the lookout to find one for my own yard!

Aloe hereroensis

Aloe hereroensis

Aloe hereroensis

Aloe hereroensis

Aloe hereroensis rosette up close (this particular specimen is in front of the Botanical Conservatory greenhouses)

Aloe hereroensis getting ready to bloom (this particular specimen is between the Sciences Lab Building and Haring Hall)

If you want to check out these aloes in person, I suggest you come on the weekend. Parking is free on Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise it’s $8 for a daily visitor permit.

Here is a handy campus map for your visit.