Plants with their own GPS coordinates? Yes indeed!
The fan leave aloe or aloe plicatilis is regarded as one of South Africa’s botanical treasures and those growing on the foothills of the Wemmershoek mountain on La Motte, have their own GPS coordinates!
The aloe plicatilis is a very rare type of aloe, only found in the Western Cape and specifically in the Wemmershoek mountain range with its cool sandstone cliffs. Usually growing individually and sporadically in the mountains of the Western Cape, at La Motte, they are found in dense concentrations. The trees can get as high as 5 metres and has short flower stems of between 40 and 50 mm. The flowering season is between August and October.
There are approximately 90 aloes on La Motte and they are really old and very special – they have already survived two major veld fires!
They can be viewed from the hiking trail on the estate.
Also see more information in the South African Journal of Botany.
