The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

Common name: Quiver Tree, Kokerboom, אלווי דו-בדי, אלווי דו-בדי, אלווי דו-קרני

Family: Asphodelaceae (Asphodel)

Distribution: S Africa, Cape Province, Namibia

Habitat: Rocky slopes, at altitudes of 600-900 m

IUCN Red list: Vulnerable

Life form: Succulent tree

Uses: A water saving ornamental, used also in landscaping in arid areas. The young flower buds can be eaten and have a similar appearance and taste to asparagus.

Remarks: The copious nectar of its blossoms draws birds and insects as well as baboons. Being one of the only tree forms in its arid habitat, Aloe dichotoma freuqently hosts nesting colonies of social weaver birds.

Etymology: Etymology: According to one theory, the genus name Aloe originates in Arabic and means "bitter", due to the plants' bitter sap. The epithet dichotoma - alludes to the dichotomous branches.

In memory: of Nizza Yaffe-Ovadia, a teacher of nature and life.

Description: A perennial wooded succulent, 7-9 m tall. The bark is smooth, peeling into beautiful golden slices, its diameter at the base is about 1 m. The trunk is covered with a thin layer of whitish powder that helps to return the sun rays. The trunk begins to branch at mid height, it branches and re-branches dichothocomously (to 2 branches each time), hence the species epithet. The leaves are succulent and elongated, about 30 cm long and 5 cm wide, bearing a narrow brownish-yellow margin of thorns. The leaves are in spiral rosettes. The raceme is 30 cm high, with dense yellow panicle-shaped flowers.