Aloe polyphylla

Spiral aloe

The spiral aloe of Lesotho grows on steep, grassy, rocky slopes at 2,000–2,600 m in the Drakensberg and Maloti mountains. The climate is cool, with summer rain and mist and winter snow. It is famously hard to keep alive in warm, humid lowland conditions: it needs cold winters, cool summers, full sun and water that runs straight through the roots.

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

It grows in rocky crevices and on well-drained scree on steep, mostly east-facing grassy slopes. In summer these are wet with rain and mist, and in winter they are frozen and often snow-covered.

It grows at 2,000–2,600 m in the Lesotho highlands. The GBIF records carry no elevation.

Lesotho

🔒 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.