This is a succulent I have overlooked dreadfully. A neighbour, originally, tossed it over the fence to our back patio which is several metres distance, dodging the palm trees on the way. I didn't have the faintest notion what it was or where it had come from until he mentioned it a while later.

It was only a small plant which I placed in a tiny pot & tended to ignore, remembering to water it occasionally. Did think it was going to die off. In fact I think it was heading that way. Finally after about 18 months I repotted it into a larger pot & placed it out in the sunniest part of our back patio. It started to really grow & before I knew it, it was more than twice its original size & was growing beautiful offshoots. The neighbour had said it was an attractive plant which grew offshoots. Think it is due to be repotted again.

Here it is now & I have finally discovered its name. It is an aloe brevifolia.

Looks rather a fierce plant too You have this touch with orphans Joy! lucky the plant that gets thrown your way

Thanks Dawn. This plant isn't as fierce as it looks, as those thorn-like things aren't really thorns, unlike a cactus. All aloes have them, probably to make eating them unpleasant for critters but they aren't sharp.

The agave brevifolia has finally been repotted. This will give it more room to grow its attractive offshoots. It really needed it as its previous pot had a big hole in the side. Do not know how that happened. Luckily, its roots looked really healthy & there were plenty of them.

I do like your Aloe brevifolia , it looks very healthy, lucky plant to have landed in your yard.

Thanks, Pixie. For quite a long time it did not seem to be doing anything at all. In fact, it looked, at one stage, as though it was going to cark it. It was hidden among other pots of succulents & all but ignored. Then I repotted it, placing it in a more open spot at the front of the patio & it grew & grew, finally popping out all those offshoots. Now it is in another new pot with plenty of room, so it can grow even more of its attractive offshoots.

It just needed time to grow up and mature like all children .

That is so true, Pixie. The poor thing did have a rough start, though.

Cannot believe just how much this aloe brevifolia has grown since it was repotted. It seems it will not be long before it is filling up its new pot.

It is looking so very good Joy Sounds like all that while it was getting all fired up inside for the moment you re-potted it. very nice

Thanks Dawn. This plant has turned out to be a beautiful swan, after all. Did think it was an ugly duckling initially, & it was slated for dumping at one stage.

Yes what good job it never made the rubbish tip

Do believe it is very thankful, Dawn.