Aloe ‘Bill Morris’ — Pink Mosaic Aloe

🌱 Morphology
A compact hybrid with spreading, strongly recurved leaves, with an elegant silhouette reminiscent of a small, open star-shaped rosette. The leaves are dark green, glossy, and fleshy, covered with numerous whitish spots that can appear isolated or merge to form irregular patterns. Under intense light, these spots can take on pinkish tones. The margins feature a narrow cream-pink edge and teeth of the same color, up to 4 mm long, which provide a delicate contrast to the foliage. The plant is not typically prolific in producing offsets, although it can be propagated by decapitation to stimulate the formation of lateral rosettes.

🌍 Origin, genealogy, and family
Family Asphodelaceae, tribe Alooideae, genus Aloe. It is a horticultural hybrid created by W. (Bill) Morris. Its genealogy is documented as [(Aloe jucunda × A. bakeri) × A. somaliensis]. The cultivar was formally published by P. I. Forster in Haworthiad 12(1), in 1998.

❄️ Temperature — USDA 10b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of approximately 0 °C for brief periods and with dry substrate. As a hybrid of tropical and subtropical African species, it is recommended to protect it from frost and especially from cold humidity.

☀️ Lighting
High light–gentle sun. Intense light promotes compact rosettes and can turn the white spots into pink tones, one of the most characteristic ornamental features of this cultivar. A DLI PAR of 20–30 mol/m²/day is recommended, with progressive acclimatization to direct sun.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Summer dormancy. During the weeks of peak heat, it is recommended to reduce watering and keep the substrate dry between applications. During active growth, it can be watered abundantly, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again.

🌸 Flowering
The flowers are pale pink at the base, with a white apex, white margins, and a characteristic pale pink central line. The combination of the pink flowers with the dark, mottled leaves makes the bloom one of the hybrid's main attractions.

🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, Desert CHOICE® Aloes, Haworthias & Co. is recommended, with a high content of potassium and bioavailable calcium. Apply with watering, reducing or suspending fertilization during summer dormancy.

Gourmet black pot, 9x9 cm and 13x13 cm

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.

* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The measurements of the plant are specified in the photo description, but these may also vary slightly, because it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.