Aloe vera
Aloe vera
Botanical family: Asphodelaceae
A succulent native to the Arabian peninsula and North-East Africa, grown everywhere for the translucent gel of its fleshy leaves. In a temperate climate, it's grown in a pot and brought in away from frost in winter. The gel is traditionally applied to small burns and skin irritations (external use documented by ESCOP).
Full sun
Very free-draining, sandy (cactus substrate)
Very moderate, let it dry between waterings
Frost-tender (bring indoors away from frost, < 5 °C)
Frost-tender in your zone
Role in permaculture
A medicinal succulent of the pot or greenhouse. Little interest in the outdoor garden in a temperate climate, but a supplementary plant for the first-aid kit (the gel of the leaves). It multiplies very easily from its offsets (pups) detached from the base; in the garden, its gel is sometimes used as a homemade ‘helping hand’ for rooting cuttings, a real but variable effect depending on the plant (see the guide ‘Succeeding with cuttings’).
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Insects attracted or useful
Known pests & diseases
Pests and diseases that commonly affect this plant, tap to learn how to recognise and manage them.
Seasons & availability
A house or greenhouse plant: leaves available all year round.
Available: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Aloe vera » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Aloe+vera)
- Missouri Botanical Garden, « Aloe vera » (plantfinder.mobot.org/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=282195)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Clearly distinguish the GEL (external use on intact skin) from the yellow LATEX located just under the epidermis: the latter is a powerful irritant laxative, not advised by mouth without professional advice, and to be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding, in children and with prolonged use. The hydroxyanthracene derivatives (aloin, aloe-emodin) are genotoxic in vitro; whole-leaf extract is classified as ‘possibly carcinogenic’ (IARC, group 2B) and the European Union has restricted these compounds in food supplements (Regulation 2021/468, the aloe provision partly annulled by the Court of Justice of the EU in 2024). Externally, rare allergic contact reactions are possible; internal use is not a substitute for medical advice.
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Species
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: very free-draining, sandy (cactus substrate).