vertical cliff faces. Subspecies A. perfoliata subsp. mitriformis: Occurs from Nieuwoudtville as far as Montagu. A. perfoliata subsp. comptonii: Occurs from Montagu in the west, as far as Uitenhage in the east. Plants relatively more compact, large and stemless, with elongated green to blue-ish leaves. A. perfoliata subsp. distans: Occurs around Saldanha in the Western Cape. Smaller, faster-growing plants with spotted green leaves on their long rambling stems. Cultivation A very tough and compact species, it can be grown on embankments, rocky slopes and walls, and it easily survives through both very hot summers and snow in the winter. These aloes are also used in arid gardens as they flower in the summer (unlike most aloes), but require full sun for maximum flowering. The species can easily be propagated by taking stem cuttings, dried for a day or two and planted in sand. Aloe × nobilis A hybrid of Aloe perfoliata with Aloe brevifolia, named Aloe × nobilis, is very commonly used in landscaping around the world. It is frequently confused with Aloe perfoliata itself, but A. × nobilis is a much smaller plant, and has much smaller rosettes. It is usually a light green colour. References perfoliata Flora of the Cape Provinces Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus