Origin and Habitat: Central karoo from Prieska in the Cape Province,to Murraysburg; from Britstown east-wards through to Luckhoff in the central Free State to southern Lesotho.
Altitude range: This species grows at an altitude of between 1000 to 2000 metres above sea level.
Habitat and ecology: Grassland, Nama Karoo and thornveld on ironstone ridges. This species prefer north-facing rocky slopes in hilly and mountainous areas, in deep grass. The rainfall in this area is low, ranging from 300 to 500 mm per annum, and falls mainly in summer. The tall-spiked Aloe broomi is an example of an aloe that provides summer nectar on both the flats and on the rocky hills of parts of the Karoo. Colonies occur here and there, often widely separated from each other but attracting large numbers of pollinators, including insects such as bees, wasps and ants, and bird species such as Malachite Sunbirds. Their light, winged seeds are dispersed by the wind. Its seeds may be attacked by weevils. When A. broomii grows socially with other species of Aloe which flower at the same time, natural hybrids are usually found. This plant is is exceptionally common and not threatened by human activity in its range.

• Aloe broomii Schönland

Description: Aloe broomii is a fine-looking succulent plant up to 1 tall (1.5 m including the inflorescence) that has the form and shape of an agave. But it is definitely an aloe. Two varieties are recognized, the nominate form and var. tarkaensis.
Habit: It is a robust, short-stemmed or procumbent species. The plant may form a huge perfect rosette up to 1 m across of yellowish-green, faintly lineate leaves with sharply spinescent margins. Dark spines are curled peculiarly along the outer edges of each leaf. These spines are very dark, compared to other species whose spines are either green or white. Plants are mostly solitary but sometimes stems branch at the summit and form 3 to 5 rosettes. The densely-leaved rosettes are reminiscent of Aloe polyphyllaSN|31375]]SN|12242]] in Lesotho. These plants develop a striking, simple, candle-like inflorescence in which the buds and pale lemon flowers are covered by the whitish 30 mm long bracts.
Derivation of specific name: Aloe broomiiSN|12242]]SN|31375]] was named in honour of the anthropologist and palaeontologist Robert Broom who collected it for the first time in 1905 between Carnarvon and Victoria West .
Leaves: Densely rosulate, 30 cm long and 10 cm broad, the upper third usually dry and brownish. The upper and lower surfaces are light-green in colour and obscurely lined, the margins having a brownish edge with deltoid, brown teeth.
Inflorescence (raceme): Mostly simple, sometimes two branched, and 2 to 3 developing from a rosette, massive, candle-like 90-120 cm long, thicker in girth than a man's arm and very densely flowered in which the buds and flowers are covered by the whitish 30 mm long bracts. Only a very small ring of nectariferous florets are produces at a time, each coming into flower in ascending order.
Flowers: Pale lemon, up to 25 mm long. The flowers open in a 100 mm wide band from the bottom of the raceme upwards, but all that can be seen of them are the stamens and stigmas that stick out beyond the bracts. A striking feature of this species is that the buds and open flowers are completely hidden by their large bracts and cannot be seen — a feature which is not shared by any other South African Aloe.
Phenology: It flowers during spring (from September to October), and the seed ripens during summer.
Seeds: Winged.
Taxonomy note: Lavranos has suggested a relationship between A. broomii and the yellow-flowered Aloe chlorantha of the south-western karoo.

Bibliography: Major references and further lectutres
1) Doreen Court “Succulent Flora of Southern Africa” CRC Press, 01 June 2000
2) Hans Bornman, David S. Hardy “Aloes of the South African veld” Voortrekkerpers, 1971
3) George Findlay “Dr. Robert Broom, F.R.S.; palaeontologist and physician, 1866-1951: a biography, appreciation and bibliography” A. A. Balkema, 1972
4) Cuthbert John Skead “The Sunbirds of Southern Africa: Also the Sugarbirds, the White-eyes and the Spotted Creeper” Trustees of the South African Bird Book Fund, 1967
5) James A. Duke “CRC Handbook of Alternative Cash Crops” CRC Press, 16 August 1993
6) Gilbert Westacott Reynolds “The Aloes of South Africa” A.A. Balkema, 01 January 1982
7) Rec. Albany Mus. 2: 137. 1907
8) Phytochemistry 45(1): 97-102. 1997
9) Umberto Quattrocchi “CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology” (5 Volume Set) CRC Press, 03 May 2012
10) Lusindiso Xulubana (February 2007). "Aloe broomii Schönland". South African National Biodiversity Institute and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Retrieved May 9, 2011
11) Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds). 2003. "Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist". Strelitzia 14. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
12) Jeppe, B. 1969. "South African aloes." Parnell, Cape Town.
13) Pole Evans, I.B. 1936. "Aloe broomii (Liliaceae)". The Flowering Plants of South Africa 16: t. 605.
14) Van Jaarsveld, E.J. 2000. "Wonderful water-wise gardening". Tafelberg, Cape Town.
15) Van Wyk, B-E. & Smith, G. 1994. "Guide to the aloes of South Africa"}. Briza Publications, Pretoria.
16) Lusindiso Xulubana, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden (February 2007) {{“Aloe broomii Schönland” in: Plantzafrica <http://www.plantzafrica.com> Web. 28 Jul. 2015.
17) Wikipedia contributors. "Aloe broomii." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Mar. 2013. Web. 28 Jul. 2015.
18) Susan Carter, John J. Lavranos, Leonard E. Newton, Colin C. Walker “Aloes. The definitive guide.” Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 2011
19) Gideon F. Smith, Colin C. Walker, Estrela Figueiredo “What’s in a name: epithets in Aloe L. (Asphodelaceae) and what to call the next new species.” In: Bradleya. 28:88 2010
20) Glen, H.F. and Hardy, D.S. 2000. “Aloaceae (First part): Aloe.” In: G. Germishuizen (ed). Flora of Southern Africa 5 Part 1, Fascicle 1:1-159. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
21) von Staden, L. 2009. Aloe broomii Schönland var. broomii. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2014.1. Accessed on 2015/07/28

Cultivation and Propagation: Aloe broomiiSN|31375]]SN|31375]] is one of the most ornamental aloes that is a fast-growing species that can reach full size in 5 or 6 years (if given proper growing conditions). It should be given a soil with a high lime content and grow best in those areas where there is frost in winter and the rainfall is not too high. Like most Aloe species, this plant is a water-wise plant that may be used in xeriscaping. It grows well in well-drained soil and flourishes in full sun. Mature plants are said to handle snow, although younger plants should be protected from hard freezes and overly wet conditions. The plant grows well in a pot, and can be moved indoors for the winter
Exposure: Outside, if the climate is cool it enjoys full sun. In warmer country, keep it cool by filtering the afternoon sun, and also avoid using a dark-coloured container.
Water: Aloe broomii is an ideal water-wise plant, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, but it comes from summer-rainfall areas, and appreciates consistent moisture during the summer months. As the plant gets established, reduce the amount of water and don't water at all during the rainy season. Established plants can take care of themselves as they store water in their leaves and are well adapted to an arid environment.
Pests and diseases: Aloe broomiiSN|31375]]SN|31375]] is susceptible to snout weevil and scale infestation, and to fungal infections. If in a pot try not to over water plants, tilt the pot so water never sits in the rosette. Water sitting in the rosette is the greatest cause of rotting these plants.
Propagation: This plant is propagated from seed. To grow the seeds keep them wet at all times do not let them dry out, 10-18 days and you will have success. Keep the soil wet for young ones until they are able to transplant into a larger container. When growing this aloes from seed there is one important consideration to bear in mind, the young plants are fairly slow growing and a systemic fungicide should be added to the watering as the they are very vulnerable.Take care not to over-water the seedlings, too much water may cause them to rot.