Start growing
Prefers bright, indirect light and well-drained succulent soil. Water only when soil is dry.
GROW SOMETHING WONDERFUL
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera
Your guide to planting, growing, and getting to know this plant.
THE PLANT NOTEBOOK
Aloe Vera care, from seed onward.
- Botanical name
- Aloe vera
- Common names
- Medicinal Aloe, Burn Plant
- Family
- Asphodelaceae
- Genus
- Aloe
- Species
- A. vera
Growing with your kit
The Seeds In A Cup® kit uses a 'sand-top' methodology to prevent damp-off in these desert-adapted seedlings.
Propagation
By offsets ('pups'), leaf cuttings, or seeds.
Seasonal growth & harvest
Produces tall yellow flower spikes in summer; foliage is evergreen and drought-resistant.
Growing conditions
Arid, tropical, and semi-tropical climates.
Weather & tolerances
Highly drought tolerant; very sensitive to frost and overwatering.
Pests & plant health
Aloe rust (fungal) and Mealybugs.
Plant safety
Gel is safe for topical use; ingestion of the latex (yellow sap) can be laxative and toxic in large amounts.
Botanical features
A succulent plant species with thick, fleshy serrated leaves containing a clear, medicinal gel.
Varieties
Standard medicinal species.
Garden & everyday uses
used in cosmetics and beverages
Native range & distribution
Native to the Arabian Peninsula; cultivated globally.
Conservation
Widely cultivated; stable.
Name origins
From the Arabic ‘alloeh’ (shining bitter substance) and Latin ‘vera’ (true).
History
Known as the 'Plant of Immortality' in Ancient Egypt; used by Cleopatra in her beauty regimen.