Aloe ferox flowering white

Aloe ferox racemes of buds thicken considerably once the far exserted stamens from open perianths add their 20 mm or so. Open flowers start to one side of the racemes here first and not on all racemes of the panicle simultaneously. And the tallest ones are not necessarily the ones flowering first.

The ample endowment of blue-green leaves provide sufficient resources for a good flowering, although panicles with more racemes are sometimes seen on big plants. However that may be, a healthy plant presenting the rare white flowers is always a special sighting in the veld.

It appears as if some leaf harvesting may have happened here, judging from the narrow midsection of the plant where some dried leaves seem to be missing. The plant is very different to those subjected to harvesting annually.

Overharvesting of live lower leaf blades from the rosettes causes plants to lose vigour and sometimes die sooner (Curtis-Scott, et al, 2020; Van Wyk and Smith, 2003; Reynolds, 1974; iNaturalist).