Aloe nuttii

Baker

Xanthorrhoeaceae Edible: Flowers, Vegetable Potential hazards — see below 12 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Aloe nuttii is a species of aloe native to Tanzania and neighboring countries. It is an erect perennial herb with bright green grass-like leaves, 50 cm (20 in), which produces a flower spike up to 75 cm (30 in) long with tubular flowers somewhere in the orange-red or pink region of the color spectrum. The mature flowers are cooked and used as a vegetable, often in combination with peas or pumpkin leaves.

Description

A herb. It has a short thick stem. This is 20 cm long and 3 cm thick. It can have 3 rings of leaves at the base. The leaves are erect and bright green. They are 50 cm long by 8 cm wide. The upper surface is concave. There are white spots underneath. The edges of the leaves have small white teeth about 1 mm long. The flowers are in a spike about 75 cm long. There are large bracts that are orange to brown. These wrap around the stem. The flowers are near each bract. The fruit is an oval capsule. It is pale brown and 2.5 cm long. There are many dark brown seeds.

Edible Uses

Flowers - cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The mature flowers are washed and cooked alone or with other vegetables such as peas or pumpkin leaves. Then either cooking oil, coconut milk or groundnut paste is added and the dish eaten with ugali or rice.

Traditional Uses

The flowers are used as a vegetable. They are washed and then cooked with other vegetables.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the leaves is drunk in the treatment diarrhoea. The leaves are also used to treat heart pains and spleen problems. The juice of leaves is rubbed on the skin to treat ringworm. The roots are boiled, honey added and the decoction drunk as a treatment for kidney problems and as an aphrodisiac. The distinctive constituents in Aloe leaves are phenolic compounds, including chromone, anthraquinone or anthrone derivatives. Some of the compounds are found in many species, whereas others occur in only a few.

Known Hazards

The sap of Aloe species contains anthraquinones. These compounds have several beneficial medicinal actions, particularly as a laxative, and many species of Aloe are thus employed in traditional medicine. Whilst safe in small doses and for short periods of time, anthraquinones do have potential problems if used in excess. These include congestion and irritation of the pelvic organs. Long term use of anthraquinone laxatives may also play a role in development of colorectal cancer as they have genotoxic potential, and tumorigenic potential.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. In Tanzania it grows in mountain grassland often on rocky slopes. It grows between 1,600-2,700 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Africa, Angola, Central Africa, Congo, East Africa, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia,

Cultivation

It can be grown by seeds or suckers.

Propagation

Seed - we have no specific information on this species - in general Aloes are sown in a sandy, well-drained potting soil in a warm, shady position in standard seed trays. Germination takes about three weeks. Cover the seed with a thin layer of sand (1 - 2mm), keep moist. The seedlings can be planted out in individual bags or containers as soon as they are large enough to handle. Suckers.

Production

Flowers are collected at the end of the rainy season.

Notes

Also put in the family Aloaceae. Also put in the family Asphodelaceae.

Also Known As

Ikori, Ikuri, Iratune, Itembwe, Kidingulio, Kongokowe, Kisimamleo, Litembwetembwe, Mshumbili, Msubili

References (2)

Grubben, G. J. H. and Denton, O. A. (eds), 2004, Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vegetables. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands. p 559
Ruffo, C. K., Birnie, A. & Tengnas, B., 2002, Edible Wild Plants of Tanzania. RELMA p 120