Aloe africana lopsided

An Aloe africana raceme grows solitary or in a panicle of few (two to four) branches, particularly on mature plants. Two or three inflorescences may occur successively from one leaf rosette. The erect racemes taper notably or slightly towards their tips.

In hard times the uppermost few perianths may fail to develop, depending on the resources that vary with the challenges of the seasons. The flowers in the photo are opening first on the side favoured by the sun, their colouring also brighter on the sunny side. Fruits may already be formed at the base of a raceme while buds at the top are still small, closed and red.

Spreading risk to capitalise on production opportunities amidst continual weather change is sensible in business and farming, as well as in nature (Van Wyk and Smith, 2003; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Reynolds, 1974; Jeppe, 1969; iNaturalist).