Aloe species unknown in bloom

[Tracy]

When I got this Aloe several years ago and much smaller it was not marked as to species, but on appearance, I thought it was an Aloe ferox.  Blooming season is opposite Aloe ferox and leaves appear slightly different.  Still haven't come up with an id, but it is a nice looking Aloe.

[Axel Amsterdam]

Very beautiful, is it forming a trunk?

Edited August 16, 2023 by Axel Amsterdam

[Tracy]

1 hour ago, Axel Amsterdam said:

Very beautiful, is it forming a trunk?

Possibly under those retained leaf bases, but definitely not nearly as quickly as some other Aloe species I have grown like ferox, marlothii, africana or speciosa.

[Axel Amsterdam]

Tracy, hope you don’t mind that i ipload a picture of this potted aloe that has been growing inside for years. Do you think it’s ferox? It’s always difficult because they seem to change their appearances according to the light levels.

[Tracy]

5 hours ago, Axel Amsterdam said:

Tracy, hope you don’t mind that i ipload a picture of this potted aloe that has been growing inside for years. Do you think it’s ferox? It’s always difficult because they seem to change their appearances according to the light levels.

It could be.  As you point out,  growing in lower light could change some characteristics.   The trunk looks a bit narrow to me but perhaps it is a little stretched as happens with some palms grown in lower light conditions.   You have done a good job as it does look healthy and happy. 

[LoamWolf]

Could it be possibly Aloe gerstneri or a hybrid of it? Blooms in summer? 
 

I have what I believe are A. gerstneri aloes at my place that bloom July/August in Valley Center. They look sorta similar to yours. 
 

[Tracy]

1 hour ago, LoamWolf said:

Could it be possibly Aloe gerstneri or a hybrid of it? Blooms in summer? 
 

I have what I believe are A. gerstneri aloes at my place that bloom July/August in Valley Center. They look sorta similar to yours.   Thank you for the suggestion Kellen.  My photo was a current photo of mine in bloom now, so timing of bloom also synchronizes.
 

I agree on the similarities,  particularly the branching of the inflorescence.  I will have to research this species.

[Tracy]

9 hours ago, LoamWolf said:

Could it be possibly Aloe gerstneri or a hybrid of it? Blooms in summer?

I have what I believe are A. gerstneri aloes at my place that bloom July/August in Valley Center

I found an interesting article discussing the species on the PlantZAfrica website:  https://pza.sanbi.org/aloe-gerstneri

Mine seems to have less of the upright rounded rosettes than the specimens they show and describe.  Color is also different, going from yellow to an orange on the inflorescence as it blooms on mine versus what is described for Aloe gerstneri:  "Each inflorescence grows to about 360 mm long and 65 mm wide, appearing a darker shade of orange while in bud, and lighter in colour while in full bloom. The flowers of Aloe gerstneri are shades of orange. Each flower within the inflorescence is about 30 mm long, cylindrical, elongated and slender, progressively tapering to point. The pedicels of each flower grow to about 5 mm long. The bracts are 18 mm in length and 5 mm in width. Aloe gerstneri is known to flower in late summer, between February and March." 

Since PlantZAfrica is in the Southern Hemisphere, the Aloe blooming time seems to flip from the Northern so they still bloom in the same seasons.  They list Aloe marlothii blooming May to September, which is late Autumn through Winter in the southern hemisphere, which matches my experience that A marlothii is also a winter bloomer in the northern hemisphere.  So at least the blooming season being in the summer aligns.  There are a couple of other similar species they mention, which I will have to look at too.  As always with Aloes, there is the possibility of hybrids complicating matters as you observe in your opening comment.