I wanted to post an update about the weird growth on my Aloe. A kind visitor to my blog emailed me and sent me a link that describes this condition. The cauliflower like growth is actually caused by an Aloe Mite, also known aloe wart mite or aloe gall mite. It is a Eriophyid mite known as Aceria aloinis (Keifer). The growths are called galls and they are caused by the mite injecting a chemical into plant tissues during feeding causing the plant tissues to grow abnormally.
The recommended solution is to remove the infected parts of the plant, and put them in the trash. Since this Aloe really doesn't belong in the bed it is in, I am going to pull the whole plant and trash it. I sure don't want this spreading to any others. I am so glad this plant is a loner- and the clumps of Aloe in the big area look fine.
Bye-bye Mr Aloe plant!
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3 comments:
Wow. It's amazing what insects and disease can do to a plant!
That's quite the strange growth all right - probably best to chuck it before the neighbor's dog mysteriously disappears...
I'm glad to learn about this. I had no idea and had never heard of Aloe mites before. In all the desert landscaping courses I've taken, this was never studied or discussed. Thanks for posting. Now, if any of my Aloes get this, I'll know what it is.
Aiyana
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