It is well-known that aloe juvenna and aloe squarrosa are often confused (in many internet sites). Even some give it as synonyms, wrongly, since the former comes from Kenya and the latter from the Socotra islands. The latter is distinguished by its longer leafs, among other things. I thought I could distinguish them well, but then I came accross this picture #1 from a botanical garden (sorry, I lost track of the source), saying it is a squarrosa (though it looks like a juvenna to me). I have three of these aloes (pictures #2-4) and I classify them as juvenna. Am I right? Or are they squarrosa after all?
I bought one that I think is aloe squarrosa (the one on the right in the photo). Am I right? The two species are side by side here: http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z173/allloe/aloejuvennaandaloesquarrosa.jpg
Here's a link with a picture of what I believe it the actual A. squarrosa... http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/52529/ I feel that all of the previous pictures are juvenna. The plant on the right in the linked picture appears to be a slightly etiolated juvenna. Note less teeth, slightly longer leaves and internodes (a good etiolation indicator). The leaves of squarrosa tend to recurve, and squarrosa is larger in scale, and easier to flower than juvenna. Aloe juvenna is sometimes referred to as Aloe zanzibarica, and there are a number of similar hybrids ('Mini belle' is one example). There are lots of mistagged plants and pictures, so it's very easy to mistake one form for another. HTH!
Juvenna all the way for me. I can't see how they get mixed up as they're quite different! Here's my juvenna. Note the leaves are short like brevifolia but stacked like an Astroloba. Squarrosa's leaves are longer and the plant isn't so clump like
The plants pictured look mostly like Aloe juvenna. I have not seen this in habitat but have grown it for a long time. I have seen Aloe squarrosa in Socotra hanging off the cliffs and it is not as pictured (excepting the plant at HBG) The difference between the two with the leaves is so simple.....squarrosa has leaves that are recurved the other does not. juvenna holds the leaves and makes rope like stems with leaves, squarrosa does not do this. The biggest problem has been that the confushion has not been helped by several "book writers" that have misidentified these in print and photo. Mostly you see juvenna in cultivation and the other one not so much. Kelly Griffin
No problem! It was fun taking them hanging off a cliff! Just for clarity, the photos are habitat Aloe squarrosa in Soqotra Yemen. Much different from the plants in most of the postings..I might add! Kelly G
There's been so much written about these 2 aloe types and there are many many pics of them on the web but none showing either in flower. It seems they're reluctant bloomers outside their natural habitat. I've had A. Juvenna plants growing for at least 8 years out in the open in various positions (sunny, semi shade etc) but never had any flower until now - quite out of the blue.
Aloealoe, thank you so much for sharing your blooming A. juvenna with us! I've had mine for several yrs. & have never seen a flower on it. I believe I've only once seen pix of blooms from a friend. Nice to know what I might look forward to in the future. :) Your plants look very happy!
One of my neglected aloes just started blooming. It looks a lot like your A. juvenna ... but an online image of A. nobilis (sans blooms) also looks similar (Aloe nobilis - Gold Tooth Aloe) . (It's growing in mostly sunny backyard in San Jose, Calif.) Do you have any guidance for identification?
This looks exactly like the A. Juvenna plants I have....in the 10 years since I posted these above pics these plants have continued to flower regularly every year!
13 years after the original post and it is still difficult to find a true A. squarrosa (and still easy to find A. juvenna being sold as A. squarrosa). :p I found this plant being sold as A. squarrosa online. What are your thoughts? Some kind of hybrid? I'm also curious what others think about the variation in plant appearance in the images at the Dave's Garden A. squarrosa page (that RJ710 linked above) between the cultivated specimens and Kelly's photos in habitat (which seem to have wider leaf and sharper coloration). Is this because of the differences that arise between conditions in habitat and in cultivation? Or are these possibly different plants?
