Aloe vera
| Light | Bright light to full sun once acclimatised; tolerates some indoor light |
|---|---|
| Water | Deeply but infrequently; let the soil dry out completely between waterings |
| Soil | Free-draining gritty mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; happiest in USDA zones 9–11 |
| Propagation | Offsets ("pups"); also seed |
| Toxicity | Toxic to cats and dogs if the leaf is eaten |
Aloe vera is the ubiquitous medicinal aloe, a clumping succulent whose rosettes of thick, fleshy, grey-green leaves hold a clear inner gel that is widely used in skin-care products. It is one of the most cultivated succulents on Earth — grown in gardens, on windowsills and on a commercial scale — and has been carried by people for so long that its exact wild origin is uncertain, with the Arabian Peninsula the most likely home.
Description
Aloe vera forms rosettes of upright, lance-shaped leaves that reach roughly 40–60 cm long on a mature plant. The leaves are thick and juicy, grey-green to blue-green, often faintly speckled when young, and edged with small pale teeth. Snapped open, a leaf reveals the translucent, mucilaginous gel for which the species is famous, sitting inside a thin rind.
Well-established clumps send up a tall unbranched flower spike in spring or summer, carrying tubular yellow (sometimes orange) blooms that are attractive to bees and sunbirds. The plant offsets freely from the base, so a single rosette in time becomes a dense colony of pups.
Unlike the closely confused Agaves, Aloe belongs to the family Asphodelaceae and — importantly for growers — its rosettes do not die after flowering.
Distribution and habitat
The true wild range of Aloe vera is obscured by many centuries of cultivation, but it is generally considered native to the Arabian Peninsula, with naturalised populations now scattered across North Africa, the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, and warm regions worldwide. It thrives in hot, dry, sunny sites on poor, stony or sandy soils, and has escaped from cultivation to become established in many frost-free areas.
Cultivation
Aloe vera is famously forgiving, which makes it a superb beginner's succulent — the usual cause of trouble is kindness in the form of too much water. Grow it in a free-draining, gritty mix in a pot with drainage holes, and give it as much bright light as you can; a plant moved from shade straight into fierce sun can scorch, so increase exposure gradually.
Water deeply, then leave it alone until the soil has dried right through — in winter, or for plants kept cool, water only sparingly. It is not frost-hardy, so in cold climates grow it in a container that can come indoors or into a greenhouse over winter. Feed lightly during the growing season at most. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
The easiest route is by far the offsets. Mature plants throw up pups around the base; once a pup has a few leaves of its own and ideally some roots, separate it and pot it into gritty mix, then wait a little before watering so any cut surfaces can callus. This is the standard method for keeping a plant true to type. Aloe vera can also be grown from seed, though seedlings are slower and seed is less reliably available. See Propagation — offsets and Propagation — seed for full walkthroughs.
Common problems
- Rot — soft, mushy, browning leaves almost always signal overwatering or a soil that holds too much moisture; cut back watering and improve drainage.
- Etiolation — in too little light the rosette stretches, pales and flops open instead of staying compact.
- Cold damage — frost turns leaves translucent and mushy; protect from freezing temperatures.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the leaf axils) and scale are the most common; watch also for fungal spots on plants kept too wet.
See also
- Aloe — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — offsets
- Pests and diseases