If you grow other Aloe no I would not bring ot on to my property. I'm stressed to hear this news. If yours never spreds again let me know. What did they do to stop it.

I disagree with AL's assessment about all of them getting it, but to me that doesn't look like the aloe cancer (causing the abnormal growths / galls that we know and despise) that I think you're writing about. It might be a healing scar from being treated for Planococcus citrii (the Aloe/Haworthia/Gasteria mealy bug), but it will shed that leaf as it grows and shouldn't be at a stage where it can spread.

That also can just be an abrasion looking particularly stressed because the plant's in the process of ridding itself of that leaf.

Aside from that, AL's reputation is such that it wouldn't ship (I should think) an infected plant - that disclaimer is lame, but I think it's not something to worry about with this particular plant.

Cygon worked on the one case of aloe cancer that I had, but it's not sold in CA anymore. If a plant does have the cancer, I would try to treat, but not at the expense of the rest of my collection. A. elgonica isn't that common, and it's a great plant, so I'd grow it on.

Aloe mite is extremely common and very hard to avoid. As for that plant in particular, it sure looks typical of Aloe mite scarring. If you are concerned, you can cut off that leaf. The mite does not 'hide' in normal looking tissues though very early infections are difficult to see. But wherever it is, it eventually causes 'cancer'. I agree it is probably gone at this point and you need not worry too much. But I do not know of hardly any large aloe collections that do not have aloe mite in them (including mine, unfortunately). If you want to make sure you don't get aloe mite from this particular plant, remove the leaf and keep this plant far from other plants. The mites do not 'crawl' around, but drift on the air currents. If you keep this aloe in a different room for a few months, and nothing else shows up on it, you are probably safe. Any poison kills the mite, but systemics are the most effective at getting them in deeper tissues if you have a case of active cancer and it's not in a place you can easily remove surgically.

Jeff is that I was trying to say. I was reading up on mites tonight, now I want to find out. Any kind of bug that you have invading your collection must be cared for. I haven't that this problem but I do have other kinds in my green house, I search every week, and do what I need to do. Some insects love dry soil, (root mealies.)
I don't remember Crassula having many insects. Norma

Thanks for the responses.

Norma 2006,
I believe they use a strong systemic (not a miticide)for curing those lesions.

cactusmcharris,
I had seen a plant with similar types of healed scarring and it was confirmed they were actually mite related scarring. As suggested, I will probably keep the plant and have it isolated. How did you apply Cygon on your aloe? Is it a soil drench? Did you remove the disfigured tissue first?

lzrddr,
As recommended, I will cut off the scarred tissue and isolate it and watch it's progress for the next 3 to 4 months.
quote, "The mite does not 'hide' in normal looking tissues though very early infections are difficult to see."

Where do they hide when they first land on plants? I've read they may overwinter and strike in spring. What has been your experience? If that's true, I'd like to do a treatment of all my aloes now when mites are not highly active.

I have a 30x microscope/camera device - can that device detect these critters. I'd like to take a look at that healed tissue and see what's going on. -j

Juper,

The infestation I successfully treated had most of the symptoms in the crown of the plant. I cut out the infected tissue and drenched the area (and the soil) with the mixture several times.

I never said that they use a very strong mitecide. The nursery's that I buy from toss them out, they don't sell damaged plants. I haven't had this problem before. Jeff you may have any damaged plants that I have that has has this problem. I don't just want to take the chance. Norma

Norma,

I'm really frustrated with this as well. Here are a few photos of A. petricola that I bought last year from Arid Lands. Bob Web acknowledged that particular plant had been treated with a systemic for aloe mite (cancer) and that it was cured of the disease. He offered me to return the item; but I decided to just toss it; $12 plant wasn't worth it.

You're absolutely right Norma, they should never ever sell damaged plants. In my case, they had known of the problem and they still mailed them to me (this was my first order from Arid Lands).
My latest order from Arid Lands, of course, to my surprise had cancer scarring (photo above). This time, I emailed them before I placed the order to insure that they check my plants for any mite damage and not send ones that show any scarring. I felt that they were a little taken aback by my request and they ultimately agreed. Well, you know the rest of the story.
As a side note, I had ordered a 1 gallon plant and got a 4" size identical to my other 4" size plan (same species). I sent them the photos of the 2 identical 4" plants and asked for the appropriate credit; but they refused and mentioned "prices are fixed", that I could return the plant and get a refund that way!
So if Arid Lands is listening (I am sure they are), my suggestion to them is never sell these damaged plants to customers. Period. It doesn't matter whether the plant is presumably cured of the disease - JUST DON'T SEND THEM in those conditions. -j

{{gwi:547018}}

You can see these mites with a microscope, but they are tricky to find. I have cut through galls and not found any mites no matter how many tissues I sectioned... but in new, 'hot' cases, usually on leaves, I have had better success finding them... they are usually at the edges of the abnormal tissues and if you gently scrape the 'cancer' tissue you might get lucky and see lots of mites on a microscope slide (usually I put some mineral oil on the slide first). Mites do not look like what you might normally think of a mite to look like - they only have 4 legs and the body of a small tube. Legs are fat and stumpy and all at one end.

Gasteria and Haworthia, are prone to Mealies, and scale, not Aloe Mite. My Aloe, Haworthia, Gasteria in the 30 years growing them have never had that Mite. I guess I am just lucky.

Thanks for the tip.
I'll take a look at it under a microscope.