Aloe Vera

How to care for Aloe Vera

Light

Aloe vera thrives in bright light and will tolerate several hours of direct sun, making a south- or west-facing windowsill ideal indoors. Insufficient light causes the leaves to become pale, etiolated, and floppy over time. If moving an established plant outdoors in summer, acclimatise it gradually to avoid sun scorch on leaves that have adapted to indoor conditions.

Watering

This is a drought-tolerant succulent and overwatering is the most common cause of failure. Allow the compost to dry out completely between waterings, then water thoroughly and allow excess to drain freely. Reduce watering significantly in autumn and winter when growth slows. Always water at the base rather than over the rosette, and never allow the pot to sit in standing water.

Soil and potting

Use a well-draining cactus or succulent compost, or amend a standard peat-free compost with up to 50% horticultural grit or perlite. Good drainage is essential; waterlogged soil quickly leads to root rot. A terracotta pot is preferable to plastic as it allows moisture to evaporate through the sides.

Feeding

Feed once a month during the active growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced liquid fertiliser diluted to half the recommended strength, or use a specialist cactus and succulent fertiliser. Do not feed in autumn or winter. Overfeeding can cause salt build-up in the compost and may lead to soft, weak growth.

Humidity and temperature

Aloe vera prefers low humidity and handles the dry air of centrally heated homes without difficulty. It grows best at temperatures between 13 and 27 C and should not be exposed to frost; a minimum of 10 C is generally advised, though brief cold spells above freezing are usually tolerated. Avoid placing the plant near cold draughts or in rooms that drop below 10 C in winter.

Repotting

Repot every two to three years, or sooner if the plant becomes heavily pot-bound or if offsets are crowding the container. Choose a pot only slightly larger than the root ball, as excess compost retains moisture and increases the risk of root rot. Spring is the best time to repot. Terracotta pots are recommended for their breathability.

Pruning

Aloe vera requires very little pruning. Remove dead or damaged outer leaves cleanly at the base using a sharp, clean knife or scissors. If a flower spike has finished, cut it off at the base. Leaves that have been harvested for gel can be removed by cutting as close to the stem as possible; the plant will not regenerate a cut leaf.

Is Aloe Vera toxic?

Common problems

How to propagate

Offsets (pups)

Aloe vera regularly produces offsets at the base of the mother plant. Allow these to reach at least 5 cm before removing them by carefully separating them from the parent root system with a clean knife, ensuring each pup has its own roots. Allow the cut to callous for 24 to 48 hours before potting into dry cactus compost, and withhold water for the first week.

Leaf cutting

While possible, leaf propagation in Aloe vera has a very low success rate compared to other succulents and is generally not recommended. Remove a healthy outer leaf cleanly at the base, allow it to callous for several days, then lay it on or insert the base into dry cactus compost; success is unreliable as the cut leaf rarely forms viable roots.

Where Aloe Vera comes from

Native to Oman. Now naturalised or cultivated in 76 other regions worldwide.

Story and origins

The genus name Aloe derives from the Arabic word 'alloeh' or the Greek 'aloē', both referring to the bitter juice of the plant. The specific epithet vera comes from the Latin for 'true' or 'genuine', distinguishing this species as the authentic or most medicinally significant aloe. The plant was formally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 under the name Aloe perfoliata var. vera, later revised to Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. by Nicolaas Laurens Burman in 1768.

Aloe vera has one of the longest documented histories of any medicinal plant, with references appearing in ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, and Ayurvedic texts. The Ebers Papyrus of ancient Egypt (circa 1550 BCE) describes its use in treating burns, infections, and skin complaints. Alexander the Great is said to have conquered the island of Socotra partly to secure its aloe supplies for treating wounded soldiers. Arab traders spread cultivation across the Mediterranean and into Europe during the early medieval period, and Spanish missionaries later introduced it to the Americas in the sixteenth century. In the twentieth century, renewed scientific and commercial interest in its gel led to a global industry worth billions of pounds annually.

Varieties to know

Aloe vera var. chinensis

A variety with smaller, more heavily spotted leaves, sometimes considered a distinct form; occasionally sold as a houseplant.

Aloe vera 'Variegata'

A cultivar with creamy-white striped or mottled markings on the leaves; slower growing than the straight species.

Aloe vera 'Barbadensis Miller'

A name sometimes used commercially for the standard species, particularly plants selected for high gel yield in the cosmetic and medicinal industries; not a distinct cultivar.

Fun facts

• Aloe vera leaves are approximately 95 to 99 per cent water, which the plant stores to survive prolonged drought in its native arid habitats.
• The ancient Egyptians called Aloe vera the 'plant of immortality' and it has been depicted in carvings and texts dating back over 3,500 years.
• Aloe vera rarely flowers as a houseplant indoors in the UK; it requires a period of cooler temperatures and very bright light to trigger blooming.
• The name 'vera' is Latin for 'true' or 'genuine', reflecting its historical status as the most medicinally valued species within the large Aloe genus of over 500 species.
• Commercial Aloe vera production is concentrated in countries such as the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and India, where it is grown on a large scale for the cosmetics, food supplement, and pharmaceutical industries.

Aloe Vera FAQ