The Giant Quiver Tree ‘Aloe Pillansii’

This majestic tree aloe can rise as high as ten to twelve meters high at maturity while in its natural habitat. It usually doesn’t attain its giant stature while under cultivation but it maintains its features. The plant is quite rare with its habitat being confined in the uber-arid Richtersveld region of south Namibia.

Family	Asphodelaceae / Aloaceae
Genus	Aloe
Scientific Name	Aloe pillansii
Other Names	Aloidendron pillansii, Bastard Quiver Tree, Pillan’s Aloe, Pillan’s Quiver Tree
Growth Season	Winter and spring
Preferred Temperature	It can handle winter temperatures of up to 41oF (5oC) and it can withstand extremely hot temperatures up to 110oF (43oC)
Hardiness Zone	USDA 9b-11
Average Mature Height & Width	It averages between 10-12 meters in its natural habitat with the stem’s diameter being between one and two meters. The foliage can extend to five feet.
Dormancy	This plant goes into dormancy in summer.
Toxicity	This plant is toxic to humans and pets.

Aloe Pillansii Physical Characteristics

This rare succulent is characterized by its humongous stem. The stem is grey and it can grow up to twelve meters tall. At the base, the circumference of a mature tree can be one or two meters. It tapers towards the top and it may be as thin as twenty centimeters at its narrowest point. Aloe pillansii’s stem branches into two or three in the middle. A single rosette of leaves forms at the top each of the branches.

Each rosette has many leaves and each leaf can grow to about 50 to 60 cm long. The width of the leaves can be anything between 10-12 cm at the base. They are curved inward lengthwise and widthwise. Also, they have small teeth at the margins. The eaves are gray-green to brownish-green with a white margin.

It produces yellow flowers with hues varying from lemon yellow to butter yellow. These flowers bloom in mid-spring in the Bastard Quiver Tree’s natural habitat. Ultimately the flowers mature into fruits that can be as big as five centimeters long and two and a half centimeters wide.

Pillan’s Aloe Care

You should grow this aloe on soil that is rich in gravel to facilitate an easy flow of water when you give it a drink. Also, such soil allows the plant’s roots to breath. Water is necessary for the plant to flower and remain healthy. Water only when the previous drink has been depleted.

Grow this aloe in direct sunlight; it is well adapted for direct sunlight from its natural habitat. Light is important to help this plant grow and flower. It requires supplemental cacti fertilizer in summer. It should have high potassium content.

DO YOU KNOW? Caring (propagating, pruning/trimming, beheading, watering, …) is a set of skills that is widely applicable to succulents. Read the in-depth guide here >>

Richard Miller – Succulent City

Aloe Pillansii Growth

Propagate this plant through seeds or stem cuttings. You may need to prune it to manage its growth. Repotting is often necessary since the plant is likely to outgrow its pots though slowly. Protect it from pests such as aphids and scale insects by airing it and keeping it healthy.