Aloes on the UC Davis campus—mid-December progress report

In my last post, I reported on the flowering progress of my own aloes. This morning I checked on the aloes on the University of California Davis campus. Unfortunately, when I tried to take my first photo, I realized the battery in my DSLR was dead. Not wanting to rush back home, I ended up using my phone camera. The photos aren't as good as they would have been on my regular camera, but they give you an idea of where the UCD aloes are at in terms of flowering.

Yellow-flowering Aloe arborescens outside the Botanical Conservancy greenhouses on Kleiber Hall Drive

I actually like the yellow-flowering form better than the common red form

Not an aloe, obviously, but just starting to flower: Euphorbia atropurpurea

Look closely: There's an inflorescence emerging on the top of this old Aloe ferox 

Bonus photo: very pretty Aloe parryi at the base of the Aloe ferox above

Wider shot of the aloes in front of the Botanical Conservatory. Look at the Aloe littoralis on the left.

Aloe littoralis flower stalk

The encephalartos in the cycad garden on the side and in front of Storer Hall are looking good

No flowers yet on these Aloe striata × maculata, but lots of pine needles

Aloe ferox and Encephalartos horridus in front of Storer Hall

Fallen giant in front of Storer Hall. This massive Aloe marlothii hybrid toppled over in January 2017 because the ground was so soggy. It's been laying there, unrooted, ever since then. But that hasn't stopped it from producing flowers. If you needed proof of how tough aloes are, this is it!

Red-flowering Aloe arborescens

Aloe suprafoliata in the alley between the Sciences Lab Building and Haring Hall 

Aloe africana

The flower stalks on the Aloe ferox and Aloe marlothii next to the Sciences Lab Building along Hutchison Drive are just beginning to ermerge. These aloes are always the last to come into flower.

Late February or early March are usually a good time to visit (see 2016 and 2017). I suggest you come on Saturday or Sunday when parking is free. I typically park next to the Botanical Conservatory on Kleiber Hall Drive. All the aloes you saw above are just a few minutes away.