Plant · GBIF taxon 2777724
aloe vera
Aloe veraAlso known as True Aloe, First Aid Plant, Medicinal Aloe, Burn Plant
Aloe vera forms a dense rosette of thick, fleshy green leaves lined with small white teeth along the margins. Yellow tubular flowers bloom atop tall, central spikes on mature plants in late winter and spring. Highly adapted to arid environments, its gelatinous leaf tissue stores water to survive prolonged droughts.
SucculentMedicinalDrought-Tolerant
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
- Scale Insects
- Mealybugs
- Snails
ThreatsOvercollection of wild populations and habitat degradation
HabitatsArid regions, rocky slopes, coastal zones, and cultivated gardens
Life span5–20+ years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAsparagales
- FamilyAsphodelaceae
- GenusAloe
- SpeciesAloe vera
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Toxic to pets and humans if ingested raw; toxic to dogs and cats if ingested.
- Why it is dangerous
- Contains aloin latex beneath the outer rind, causing gastrointestinal irritation, severe cramping, and toxicity to pets if swallowed.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for thick, grey-green fleshy leaves with small yellow-white teeth running along the leaf margins.
- What to do
- Keep house plants out of reach of curious pets, and refrain from ingesting raw unprepared foliage.
Responsible observation
- Indoor light: Place in bright, indirect sunlight to encourage healthy growth without scorching the leaves.
- Watering routine: Allow soil to dry out completely between thorough waterings to prevent root rot.
- Propagating offsets: Separate small pups from the base of the parent plant using a clean blade.
Close Relative (c) desertnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by desertnaturalist · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Ton Rulkens, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Vilseskogen, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Vilseskogen · cc-by-sa
Relative (c) H. Zell, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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