Re: Aloe recommendations

The two large aloes that come to my mind are Aloe bainesii and Aloe 
dichotoma.

I've seen Aloe bainesii in several places in Central and southern
California--from the one planted at a nursery near Morro Bay, down through
LA and into San Diego.   Where I've seen it this aloe sends up four to seven
10 foot long stalks from a large base, with tufts of leaves towards the
tops.  I also saw it in one of the exhibits at the 1998 San Francisco Garden
Show.

I've only seen Aloe dichotoma once.  There were several in ground at a
nursery in Tucson, with heights from five to ten feet.  It's more stout than
Aloe bainesii, with a thicker trunk and leaves.  It's also has a more golden
tone to the trunk and leaves, whereas Aloe bainesii is more blue-green as I
recall.  The Aloe dichotoma I bought there has put on about 6" of growth in
the past four months; it's now a good 16" high.

A very good place to see Aloes is at the Huntington Museum and Gardens in
San Marino--near Pasadena, California.   It's a fun trip; though I'm not
into 18th century portraits, the display garden is great and contains a
large desert section (it's where I first saw a Welwitschia!) and if you get
there early enough you can enjoy their breakfast tea in their Tea Room.

Dan McKean
San Jose, CA
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