Aloe broomii Schönland
Berg alwyn, mountain aloe, snake aloe
This aloe is a native of southern Africa, and it is not found in the wild in North America.
Plants: The rosette of spiky, thick leaves that are characteristic of all aloes is on a short stem or on the ground.
Leaves: The leaf rosette is up to 1′ (30 cm); if you include the flower spike, the height can reach 5′ (1.5 m). Leaves are green, with reddish brown teeth along the margins.
Flowers: The large flowerhead, up to 5′ ⨉ 2½″ around (1.5 m ⨉ 7 cm), is unusual in that the flowers remain entirely covered by bracts, the specialized leaves that form the buds. Only the stamens and stigmas stick out, and those only along a narrow band of the flowerhead at a time. The orange “flowers” aren’t flowers at all!
Fruits: Seeds ripen in the summer.
Habitats: Rocky slopes in hilly and mountainous areas, at an altitude of 3281–6562′ (1–2 km) above sea level.
Online References:
The pink flowers are not part of the aloe. · 9/7/2010 · New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, Boylston, Massachusetts 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Liliopsida | Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family |
| Subclass | Liliidae | Includes lilies, orchids, and many others |
| Order | Asparagales | A diverse group that includes asparagus |
| Family | Xanthorrhoeaceae | Aloes, many tropical plants, flax lilies, daylilies, many others |
| Genus | Aloe | Means “goddess” in ancient Sanskrit, for its reputed use as a beauty aid; some sources suggest that the name comes from Alloeh, meaning “shining bitter substance” |
| Species | broomii | Named for anthropologist Robert Broom |
Aloe broomii description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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