Aloe abyssicola

This plant listing for reference only.

Aloe abyssicola is an evergreen aloe endemic to southern Yemen, notable for its highly specialized cliff-dwelling ecology and unusual pendent growth habit in the wild. It naturally occurs on sheer rock faces, where rosettes hang downward from short, sturdy stems, an adaptation to extreme, inaccessible habitats. The species forms a single, non-clumping rosette that may hold up to around fifty broad, thick leaves, each up to roughly 20 inches long and 4 to 5 inches wide. Foliage is gray-green to pale bluish green with a smooth, matte surface and blunt, widely spaced dark marginal teeth that are relatively subdued for an aloe. In habitat the inflorescence emerges downward, later curving upward at the tips, and reaches about 2 feet long, dividing into several loosely arranged branches bearing tubular flowers described as yellow-green to greenish or pale pink; flowering has been observed in late winter. Aloe abyssicola is known only from cliffs on Jabal al Arays in southern Yemen at elevations near 3,000 feet and was described in 1971 by Lavranos and Bilaidi, its name referencing its abyssal habitat. In cultivation it is usually grown upright in containers or well-drained garden settings, requiring bright light, excellent drainage, sparse irrigation, and protection from frost, as it is best suited to mild, frost-free climates and is primarily grown by collectors and botanical institutions.