Publication: Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 36: 60 1905
Description
Aloe buettneri (Synonyms Aloe barteri Baker 1860 p.p. ) is a succulent perennial herb up to 30-85 cm tall, without stem, usually solitary, rarely branching into two or suckering, with leaf bases forming a caracteristing underground bulb-like rootstock c. 10 cm in diameter. Such a bulb-like base is not unique in the aloe genus; Aloe bowiea, Aloe kniphofioides and Aloe inconspicua of South Africa, Aloe richardsiae and Aloe bullockii of Tanzania all have bulbs. Aloe buettneri has flower varied in colour.
Roots: Thick and fleshy.
Leaves: About 16 thick and slightly fleshy in a basal rosette, , deciduous, erect to spreading broad at the base. Leaf bases forming an underground bulb-like swelling. Stipules absent. Petiole absent. Blade triangular, 30-50(-80) cm long, 7-9(-12) cm wide, distinctly V-shaped in section, leathery, apple-green, scattered whitish spots, apex acuminate, margin cartilaginous, hard and tough, sharply toothed. Teeth triangular, firm white to pale pink sharp 1-4 mm long, in irregular distance (1-15 mm apart), alternately two closely neighbouring teeth are followed by one solitary tooth.
Inflorescence: 2 or 3 consecutively with a thick stem (40-)60-90(-100) cm long, with 3-5(-12) obliquely spreading branches, and with a few sterile, ovate bracts below the racemes. Branches bearing a cylindrical-conical to almost head-like racemes 10-20 cm long and 7-8 cm broad ± laxly flowered. Floriferous bracts deltoid-acute or lanceolate-acuminate, 8-15 mm long 5-8 mm wide, pale green, 5-7-nerved.
Flowers: Bi-sexual, regular, 3-merous varied in colour, green, yellow, orange or dull red. Pedicel 15-25 mm long, elongating to 5 cm in fruit and thickening conspicuously. Perianth tubular, (28-)35-40(-45) mm ling and 8-10 mm broad, rounded at the base, gradually constricted with the narrowest part about 1/3 length from the base then widening towards the mouth. Lobes 6, c. 12 mm long outer segments free near apex, inner segments free but adnate to outer with tips very slightly spreading. Stamens 6, slightly exserted up to 2 mm. Ovary superior, 3-celled, ±7x8 mm in diamete, style filiform, stigma head-shaped, exserted up to 4 mm.
Fruit (capsules): Ovoid, with few transverse ribs, yellow-green-brown up to 3.5(-4) cm long, and 1.5-2.5 cm broad, dehiscing loculicidally, many-seeded.
Flowering time: (in southern Africa) October to March.
Seeds: ± 12 x 6 x 4.5 mm mm, pale grey or greyish-brown, very broadly winged.
Chromosome number: 2n = 14
Taxonomic notes: The botanical identity of ‘Aloe barteri Baker” is unclear. According to the last edition of the “Flora of West Tropical Africa” 1968, Vol. 31 part 1, it is partly Aloe buettneri A.Berger, partly Aloe schwrinfurthii Baker, two Aloes which differ considerably. The west African succulent usually described as “Aloe barteri”, is in most cases Aloe buettneri. Aloe congolensis appears closely related to Aloe buettneri and is possibly synonymous.
Origin and Habitat
Aloe buettneri is restricted to West Africa, where it occurs in Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Togo, Benin. Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Zaire, Angola, Zambia, Malawi and Northern Namibia. In this region it is locally cultivated. It is the most abundant aloe species in this area. After the bush fires destroy the mature leaves the plant passes the dry season with the leaf-bases partly burled and with only the central leaf-tips exposed.
Altitude range:* 250-900 metres above sea level.
Habitat and ecology: Aloe buettneri occurs in grassy places in the moister savannah areas and in open woodland. In Namibia A. buettneri occurs in floodplains in an extremely flat area in mopane veld. In summer, the entire region is flooded for long periods.
Cultivation and Propagation
Aloe buettneri is relatively easy to cultivate under a wide variety of climatic conditions provided it is planted in a well-drained situation given adequate water but not over-watered.
Soil: Grow it in an open sandy-gritty cactus compost.
Pots: It needs a relatively shallow pot to accommodate its fibrous roots and provide a very good drainage. It may stay in the same pot for many years.
Watering: It needssr regular water in summer, keep dry in winter or when night temperatures remain below 10° C. Water it less than average if in bigger pots.
Special need: Provide very good ventilation. Nearly all problems occur as a result of overwatering and poor ventilation, especially when weather conditions are dull and cool or very humid.
Fertilization: Light fertilizer seems to boost its growth whenever additional water is given.
Feed them during the growing season with a fertilizer specifically formulated for cactus and succulents (high potash fertilizer with a dilute low nitrogen), including all micro nutrients and trace elements diluted to ½ the strength recommended on the label. They thrive in poor soils and need a limited supplies of fertilizer to avoid the plants developing excess vegetation, which is easily attacked by fungal diseases.
Exposure: It enjoys light-shade. It may be grown in full sun too but protect in summer from afternoon sun, and avoid reflected heat. It will do its best with some sun and become stressed with inadequate light which could result in poor growth and unnatural shape. Direct sunlight along with prolonged drought and make the leaves turn a reddish colour, a sign generally associated with stress.
Hardiness: It likes warmth (recommended minimum winter temperature 5° C) however plants kept perfectly dry can can survive low temperatures, approx. -2° for short periods, but for safe cultivation it is best to avoid freezing temperatures.
Use: This is a good pot plant suited for a non heated green house. It can be also cultivated outdoors in raised beds, terraces if sheltered from winter rain.
Maintenance: Removal of old flower stalks.
Traditional uses: Aloe buettneri is widely used and often cultivated as a medicinal plant. Leaf sap laxative, antiinflammatory, antiviral, wound dressing, to treat sores, wounds, burns, pain in the joints, inflammation of the breasts. In Senegal a leaf decoction is added to the drinking water of poultry to prevent avian cholera. In Nigeria leaf sap is given to cattle as an anthelmintic. Leaves used in several arrow-poison mixtures.
Propagation: Propagation is by seed, as it seldom offsets. Seeds must be sown as fresh as possible. The best time for sowing would be in the spring or summer when temperatures are warm. Use coarse, well-drained sandy soil and cover seeds lightly, then keep moist. Cover the seeds with a fine layer of grit and water from below with a with a long-lasting fungicide, as seedlings are prone to damping off, a fungus that eventually kills the young plants. For the 1-2 weeks cover the pots with a sheet of glass/clear perspex to keep the humidity levels high. Remove the glass and replace it with light shade-cloth and mist once or twice a day for the next two weeks after which most seeds should have germinated. From then on mistings can be reduced to every second and then every third day as the little plants grow. If you have a number of them you could intentionally damage the growing point to see if it will offset, but wait to do that until early spring, when its growing season is beginning. It is easily rooted in potting soil with warmth.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Hans Dieter Neuwinger “African Ethnobotany: Poisons and Drugs : Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology” CRC Press, 1996
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C.H. Bosch “Aloe buettneri A.Berger.” in: C.H. Bosch In: Gaby H. Schmelzer “Plant Resources of Tropical Africa: Medicinal plants “ ed.: G. H. Schmelzer ; A. Gurib-Fakim. Assoc. ed.: R. Arroo … General ed.: R. H. M. J. Lemmens ; L. P. A. Oyen. 11. 1 PROTA, 2008
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Doreen Court “Succulent Flora of Southern Africa” CRC Press, 01/Jun/2000
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Umberto Quattrocchi “CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology” (5 Volume Set) CRC Press, 03/May/2012
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“Flora of West Tropical Africa”, Vol 3 Part 1
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S. Kativu “Flora Zambesiaca” FZ, Vol 12 Part 3, page 48 2001
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Dr J.P. Roux “Flora of South Africa” 2003
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Burkill, H.M. “The useful plants of west tropical Africa” Vol 3 1985
From llifle page Aloe congolensis
Description
Aloe congolensis (Congo Aloe) is a small aggressive clustering aloe to 15 to 20 cm tall that forms tight 12 cm wide rosettes with short bright green shiny wedge-shaped leaves with slight recurved tip and sharp teeth. The stems lie along the ground to 60 cm long and the eaves are often retained the entire length of the stem, though eventually slough off.
Leaves: Short, stiff, shiny bright green, almost plastic-like, wedge-shaped and somewhat flat to recurving near the tips. Leaves take on a reddish-brown cast when drought or cold stressed. The leaves are heavily armed with large, sharp teeth the same colour as the leaves.
Flowers: In late fall to early winter appear a 30 or more cm tall unbranched inflorescence with pinkish-red or reddish-orange flowers in late autumn to mid winter. It seems to take the plant years to mature enough to get to flowering size.
Taxonomic notes: The name Aloe congolensis is not a verified species name but it is a very common plant, often seen in garden centres and has long been cultivated and passed around under this name which was first used by De Wildeman and T. Durand in 1899 but this name is often noted as “imperfectly known or doubtful” as Gilbert Reynolds does in “Aloes of Tropical Africa and Madagascar”. The entry for this plant in this book notes that the plants first described came from sandy bush near Kimuenza in the Congo and that it may be conspecific with Aloe buettneri, though images of this plant look much different and Aloe buettneri is described as having wider leaves and a bulb-like swelling not apparent in the plants known as Aloe congolensis. This name also does not appear in Aloes: The Definite Guide published in 2011.
Origin and Habitat
The plants first described came from sandy bush near Kimuenza in the Congo.
Cultivation and Propagation
Aloe congolensis is a very easy species, and easy to find, too (commonly sold at outlet garden centres). It is an aggressive offsetter that fills out small pans to form very attractive small domes, and will eventually take over an area.. To reach this state, however it requires patience and a careful hand with watering. It makes a nice potted specimen or even a hanging basket plant. Given the right conditions they can be grown as a houseplant.
Growth rate: This is the slow to moderate growing aloe, and it will tolerate drought and neglect once established.
Soil: Grow it in light, fertile, well-drained, moderate soils, with a slightly acidic pH (5-6).
Fertilization: It needs a perfect fertilizer diet in summer. Use preferably a cacti and succulents fertilizer with high potassium content including all micro nutrients and trace elements or slow release fertilizer.
Watering: Water regularly in spring and summer, keep drier in winter.
Exposure: Prefer half shade (kept away from direct sun in summer) but it will get nicely redder colour with brighter light (not direct sun).
Hardiness: This plant doesn’t like cold weather, therefore in the Spring it is best to set it outside only when the temperatures are above 15°C. Can endure temperatures below 5°C for short period, but only if the soil stays completely dry.
Pests and diseases: This plant is particularly prone to aloe mite damage.
Maintenance: Removal of old flower stalks; It is a suckering species, and one plant can eventually cover a large area. Divide the crowded clumps periodically. During the winter months, the plants should be grown cool to initiate flower development (about 5-10°C).
Warning: It has sharp thorns and is one of the more painful aloes to trim without gloves.
Traditional uses: In western Democratic Republic of Congo the leaf sap of Aloe congolensis is traditionally used to cure sores, wounds, burns. pain in the joints, inflammation of the breast and as a laxative, whereas dried and powdered leaves are said to prevent cancer of the colon and rectum.
Reproduction: Usually by Offsets or (rarely) by seeds, it has to be restarted periodically as the lower leaves shed and it looks bare. Take a branch or stem cut off, allow it to dry for a day or so until the wound has sealed, and then plant it in well-drained soil or sand. They need not be rooted in any particular place and then transplanted, but can be placed directly into their permanent place in the garden. This aloe can also be grown from seed, sown in spring. Seed should take three to four weeks to germinate, and the seedlings must be protected from frost.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Forest & Kim Starr “Aloe congolensis (tiger tooth aloe)”. Plants of Hawaii. <http://www.starrenvironmental.com\>. Web. 27 Sep. 2014.
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San Marcos Growers contributors “Aloe congolensis - Congo Aloe ” San Marcos Growers <http://www.smgrowers.com\>. Web. 27 Sep. 2014.
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Davesgarden’s contributors “PlantFiles: Aloe congolensis” <http://davesgarden.com\> Web. 14 Sep. 2014.
Source: Aloe congolensis, LLIFLE - Encyclopedia of living forms, CC-BY-SA, retrieved 2026-10-25.