Aloe brevifolia

Short-leaved aloe

A dwarf, clump-forming aloe about 10 cm tall with short, fat, grey-blue leaves edged with soft white teeth, and red flowers in early summer. In the wild it is confined to the Western Cape's winter-rainfall renosterveld on clay, where most of its habitat has been ploughed; in cultivation it is a common, easy rockery and pot plant that holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Dry airBand in Plantistry

Light Full sunDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Grows in dry clay soils of Ruens Shale Renosterveld and on rocky slopes and cliffs, especially near the coast, in full sun.

The wild GBIF records carry no elevation; Ruens renosterveld lies at low elevations, roughly sea level to a few hundred metres.

Cape Provinces

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.