Flowering aloes on the UC Davis campus (end of February 2015)

I finally found time to check on the aloes on the UC Davis campus. I hadn’t been back since my last post on December 26 but fortunately it looks like my timing was just right.

This outing also gave me an opportunity to test-drive a fun lens I just bought for my camera: a 6.5 mm fisheye that offers an amazing angle of view. The first set of photos were taken with this lens before I switched back to my regular wide-angle zoom (17-40 mm). As expected, the fisheye is a bit gimmicky and doesn’t lend itself to too many situations. However, it’s just about perfect when you want to convey an exaggerated feeling of space. The vignetting from the lens hood actually helps by introducing an element of artifice that telegraphs in no uncertain terms that this is not a “normal” perspective.

Enough about lenses. Let’s look at the aloes, starting at the Botanical Conservatory on Kleiber Hall Drive:

LEFT: Aloe microstigma  RIGHT: Aloe striata

LEFT: Aloe microstigma  RIGHT: Aloe striata

Aloe microstigma

Aloe × spinosissima

Agave parryi

Now walking over to Storer Hall:

Aloe × spinosissima

Aloe × spinosissima

And from there to the alley between Haring Hall and the Sciences Lab Building:

Palo verde (Parkinsonia florida)

And finally to the planting bed next to the Sciences Lab Building:

Aloe × spinosissima

Bed outside Sciences Laboratory Building

Aloe microstigma

This is where I switched lenses. Now we’re retracing our steps starting at the Sciences Lab Building.

Aloe microstigma

Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii

Aloe marlothii

Aloe peglerae

Tower of jewels (Echium wildpretii); it will start to elongate soon and bloom in May

Aloe × spinosissima

 

Aloe hereroensis, one of my all-time favorite aloe species

Plantings between the Sciences Lab Building and Haring Hall:

Aloe hereroensis

Aloe hereroensis

Aloe ‘Who Knows What It Is’

Aloe africana

LEFT: Aloe africana   RIGHT: Aloe ferox

Aloe ferox

CENTER: Aloe marlothii

Aloe marlothii

Gasteria acinacifolia

Beautiful juxtaposition of purple-flowering Babiana nana from South African and Aloe humilis

Aloe humilis

Storer Hall:

Aloe × spinosissima

Aloe humilis and Aloe comosa

Encephalartos horridus and Aloe comosa

Botanical Conservatory:

Aloe littoralis. This is the “fallen giant” I wrote about in this post.

The rotting stem can’t be saved, but I’m hoping the rosette on the right will re-root.

Possible hybrid between Aloe ferox and Aloe arborescens (according to Ernesto Sandoval, director of the Botanical Conservatory)

Possible hybrid between Aloe ferox and Aloe arborescens

Here’s a handy UC Davis campus map if you decide to visit. Come on Saturday or Sunday when parking is free!