Spiral aloe
© David Madison/Getty Image
Why, aloe there
Aloes are some of the most splendid succulent plants in nature, coming in many shapes and colours. While the rubbery, gel-filled leaves of most aloe plants are long and tendril-like, those of the pictured Aloe polyphylla species are stout and tightly set, one of many examples in nature of a near-perfect spiral. Commonly called spiral aloe, it's a coveted garden plant with specific growing conditions that make it hard to keep alive. Even in nature, it's rare and native only to the chilly mountains of Lesotho, a tiny kingdom entirely surrounded by South Africa.
Related Images
Today on Bing

Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada
Jul 04, 2023

Hampton Court Palace and gardens, London, UK
Jul 04, 2022

Salcombe harbour on the south coast of Devon
Jul 04, 2019