Bitter Aloe

Afrikaans name: Bitteraalwyn

Photo © Steven Herbert

Aloe ferox

The Bitter Aloe gets its name from a bitter extract, obtained from it, that is used as a purgative medication.

It is a common plant that grows to a height of 3 metres.

The Bitter Aloe is found over a range of 1,000 km from the Western Cape through to KwaZulu-Natal.

These aloes flower in winter and produce a spectacular display of flowers. The flowers attract numerous sunbirds and weavers.

References and further reading

What Aloe is That? - Author: Eric Judd - Published: 1967 - Page: 60

The Gardener - 2020/07 - Author: - Published: 2020 - Page: 12

Trees of Southern Africa - 3rd edition - Author: Keith Coates Palgrave - Published: 2002 - Page: 109

What Aloe is That? - Author: Eric Judd - Published: 1967 - Page: 40

Succulents of South Africa - Author: E. Van Jaarsveld, B. Van Wyk and G. Smith - Published: 2000 - Page: 109

The Aloes of South Africa - Author: GW Reynolds - Published: 1950 - Page: 460

The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei - Author: Elsa Pooley - Published: 1994 - Page: 56

The Gardener - 2015/02 - Author: - Published: 2015 - Page: 48

Succulent Flora of Southern Africa - 3rd edition - Author: Doreen Court - Published: 2010 - Page: 240

Succulent Flora of Southern Africa - 3rd edition - Author: Doreen Court - Published: 2010 - Page: 267

Succulents of South Africa - Author: E. Van Jaarsveld, B. Van Wyk and G. Smith - Published: 2000 - Page: 95

Sasol First Field Guide to Succulents of Southern Africa - 2nd edition - Author: John Manning - Published: 2018 - Page: 16

Sasol First Field Guide to Aloes of Southern Africa - Author: Gideon Smith - Published: 2003 - Page: 27

Indigenous Garden Plants of Southern Africa - Author: Glenice Ebedes - Published: 2017 - Page: 56

Plants of the Baviaanskloof - Author: D Euston-Brown & M Kruger - Published: 2023 - Page: 78

Road Tripping South Africa - Author: MapStudio - Published: 2014 - Page: 74

SA Wild Flower Guide No 2 - Outeniqua, Tsitsikamma and Eastern Little Karoo - Author: Audrey Moriarty - Published: 1982 - Page: 28

Pollinators, Predators and Parasites - Author: C. Scholtz, J. Scholtz, H. De Klerk - Published: 2021 - Page: 270

Guide to Succulents of Southern Africa - Author: Gideon Smith & Neil Crouch - Published: 2009 - Page: 34

Guide to the Aloes of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: Ben-Erik van Wyk and Gideon F. Smith - Published: 2014 - Page: 62

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 392

Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of South Africa (updated edition) - Author: John Manning - Published: 2019 - Page: 78

Field Guide to Wild Flowers of South Africa - Author: John Manning - Published: 2009 - Page: 76

Guide to Succulents of Southern Africa - Author: Gideon Smith & Neil Crouch - Published: 2009 - Page: 33

Eastern Cape Veld Flowers - 2nd edition - Author: Eily Gledhill - Published: 1981 - Page: 66

Ecoguide - Fynbos - Author: Colin Paterson-Jones and John Manning - Published: 2007 - Page: 35

Field Guide to Fynbos - 1st edition - Author: John Manning - Published: 2008 - Page: 68

Field guide to Succulents of Southern Africa - Author: Gideon Smith & Neil Crouch - Published: 2017 - Page: 136

Aloes of the South African Veld - Author: H. David & B. Hardy - Published: 1971 - Page: 259

Country Life - Issue 276 - Author: - Published: 2019 - Page: 18

A Photographic Guide to Wild Flowers of South Africa - Author: Braam van Wyk - Published: 2000 - Page: 67

Aloes in Southern Africa - Author: Braam van Wyk, Gideon F. Smith - Published: 2008 - Page: 58

A Field Guide to the Trees of Southern Africa - Revised - Author: E. Palmer - Published: 1983 - Page: 78

For more info: SANBI

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