Aloe maculata
Environmental Weed (2024)
Common names
spotted aloe
Biostatus
Exotic
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Monocots
Flower colours
Orange, Red/Pink
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Asphodelaceae
Ecology
Year naturalised
1883
Origin
S. Africa. Has been referred to in New Zealand literature as Aloe saponaria (Aiton) Haw. (soap aloe). Vegetative spread, usually from carelessly discarded garden waste (eed apparently not formed).
Reason for introduction
Horticultural.
Tolerances
Cold sensitive. However has proved quite wide ranging in this country.
Life cycle and dispersal
Perennial. Probably exclusively vegetative in New Zealand.
Other information
Etymology
aloe: From the Arabic word Alloeh
maculata: From Latin ‘macula’ blotch, meaning blotchy
Environmental Weed (2024)
This plant is named in a list of 386 environmental weeds in New Zealand 2024 prepared by DOC. 759 candidate species were considered for inclusion on this new comprehensive list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. The species considered were drawn from published lists of weed species, lists of plants that must be reported or managed by law if observed, existing national and regional programmes and agreements for pest management, and species already managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC). Candidate species were then assessed to see if they were fully naturalised and whether they have more than minor impacts in natural ecosystems. Read the full report here.