All you wanted to know about Haworthias, Gasterias and Astrolobas: Astroloba foliolosa

Astroloba foliolosa, Springbokvlakte

Astroloba foliolosa (Haw.) Uitewaal

by Jakub Jilemicky and Steven Molteno

foliolosa: many leaved.

These Astrolobas are real “prickly columns”, with a multitude of tiny sharp leaves, pointing out horizontally from the stem. It can be distinguished from its relative to the East, Astroloba congesta, by its leaves being patent (horizontal), more short and rounded at the base and size - foliolosa is much thinner. It also has the most imbricate leaf arrangement, as it almost never has its leaves arranged in vertical rows or tiers. The leaves are glossy, and are usually a light green colour. The plants form dense clumps and the columnar stems are initially straight and erect, until their height eventually causes them to tile and eventually to ramble along the ground.

Astroloba foliolosa, Waaipoort

The creamy white flowers appear on a slender (usually unbranched) inflorescence, in the summer (mostly October to December).

Flower detail of A. foliolosa from W of Steytlerville

Distribution map

This species favours Nama Karoo and Thicket vegetation in the Eastern Cape Province. It has been found as far North as Graaff-Reinet, as far South as Addo Elephant Park, as far West as the Steytlerville area, and eastwards where it gradually fades into Astroloba congesta. Around Graaff-Reinet are plants very robust and there can be continuity to Astroloba robusta further to the North and West from here.

Astroloba foliolosa, Graaff-Reinet

A. foliolosa is from a summer rainfall area, and therefore in cultivation it requires its sparse watering to be primarily over the warmer summer months. It grows best when it has some shelter from full sun and extremely well-drained soil (just like all Astrolobas). It is well widespread in cultivation.

Known localities: