Species name :

Aloe × delaetiiRad
Published in Monatsschr. Kakteenk. 6: 24 (1896)

Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)

Aloiampelos ciliaris × Aloe succotrina

Full list of synonyms : [Euro+Med] [WFO] [IPNI] [POWO] [Catalogue of Life] [Worldplants.de]

Plant Family :

Asphodelaceae Juss. (The Asphodel or Aloe Family)
8 species from the Asphodelaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands.

English name(s) :

Hybrid aloe, De laet aloe

Maltese name(s) :

Sabbara tal-ġonna komuni, Sabbara ta\' De Laet

Status for Malta :

Naturalised Alien. Species that was introduced in Malta after year 1492 (Columbus' discovery of the New World) and spreads and integrates to form established, non-invasive populations. Species may become become invasive if it widespreads rapidly.

Frequency :

Very Common     Common    Frequent     Scarce     Rare    Very rare    Extinct

Growth form :

Germination type [info]: Monocotyledon
Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: Chameophyte ( small woody shrubs with vegetative buds well above the ground )

Legal Protection :

Not legally protected till the last update of this website (22/Aug/2025)

Red List (1989) :

Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands

Flowering Time :

May – August

Colour of Flowers:

Orange or Red

Toxicity:

Not particularly toxic

Name Derivation :

Aloe: A very old name of Sematic origin meaning alloeh or from Hebrew allal, both meaning bitter with reference to the soapy bitter sap of the plant. Some sources also include the Greek alsos, similarly referring to the bitter juice of the plant, but it was probably derived from the earlier Arabic/Hebrew language. (Arabic origin).

delaetii: this hybrid was named after Frantz de Laet (1866–1928), a Belgian horticulturist and succulent expert known for his contributions to the cultivation and distribution of exotic plants. (Latin origin).

Planting in rural areas :

Cannot be planted in the wild (rural areas) since the species may be invasive (see ERA guidelines)

Remarks :

This is the most widely cultivated plant in Malta, making it highly likely to escape into the wild, whether through the disposal of unwanted garden specimens, intentional planting, or accidental introduction from horticultural escape. In previous work it may been confused and reported under other Aloe names (e.g. A. ferox?), yet this publication mention first this taxon from Malta.