Geography and distribution
Aloe ciliaris is native to the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, where it occurs from Uitenhage in the south to the Kei River mouth in the north-east, scrambling through thorny shrubs.
A scrambling, succulent plant with long, slender stems that can reach up to about 10 m long. The dark green leaves, edged with white teeth, are arranged in open spirals along the stems. It can be distinguished from related species by the white teeth on the leaf bases sheathing the stems. The reddish-orange, tubular flowers, each up to about 25 mm long, are borne in short, loose clusters and pollinated by sunbirds. The fruit is an oblong capsule.
Climbing aloe is cultivated as an ornamental.
Aloe ciliaris will not tolerate frost and must therefore be grown indoors in frost-susceptible regions such as Britain. Climbing aloe should be provided with some kind of support, such as a pyramid or trellis. Propagation is by stem cuttings or from seeds.
This species at Kew
Aloe ciliaris, including the variety A. ciliaris var. tidmarshii, can be seen in the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew.
Alcohol-preserved, and pressed and dried specimens of Aloe ciliaris are held in Kew’s Herbarium, where they are available to researchers, by appointment. The details of some of these, including one image, can be seen online in the Herbarium Catalogue.
View details and images of specimens
Many of the botanical collections, drawings and manuscripts of William John Burchell, credited with the discovery of Aloe ciliaris, were presented to Kew by his sister, Anna Burchell.
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