Aloidendron pillansii is a slow-growing, branching succulent tree from the arid Richtersveld of southern Africa, reaching up to 15 m, and is critically endangered. It is very rarely grown, and the key to success is full sun, very fast-draining rocky soil and sparse water.
Family
Asphodelaceae (Aloe family)
Grows as
Tree, Succulent
Light
Full sun
Water
Water sparingly, only when the soil is fully dry, and much less in winter.
Soil
Extremely well-drained gritty or rocky mineral mix.
Temperature
Frost-tender; protect below about 5 °C.
How easy
Hard
Native range
SW. Namibia to NW. Cape Prov.
Climate
desert or dry shrubland
About
Aloidendron pillansii, formerly Aloe pillansii, the giant quiver tree or bastard quiver tree, is a large, branching species of succulent plant indigenous to southern Africa. It is regarded as critically endangered.
How to grow it
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.
Where it grows
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. The species will not survive without intervention.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Aloidendron pillansii by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.