Common Name : Aloe Vera  

Scientific Name : Aloe vera (syn. Aloe barbadensis miller) 

Family : Asphodelaceae   

Native Region : Arabian Peninsula, now naturalised across tropical and subtropical regions 

Plant Type : Evergreen succulent perennial 

Aloe Vera is a thick-leaved succulent best known for the soothing gel inside its fleshy, spiky-edged leaves. It's an easy-care, sun-loving plant that also doubles as a handy home remedy for minor burns and everyday skin care. 

LIGHT  

Needs bright light; a sunny windowsill or balcony with a few hours of direct morning sun is ideal. In low indoor light, growth becomes leggy and pale. 

WATER  

Very drought-tolerant – water deeply only when the soil is completely dry, roughly every 2–3 weeks, and even less in winter. Overwatering quickly leads to root rot.  

TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY 

Prefers 18–30°C and low to normal humidity; it does not need any extra humidity. Protect it from temperatures below 10°C and frost. 

SOIL 

A fast-draining cactus or succulent mix works best – regular potting soil combined with coarse sand and perlite in roughly equal parts. 

FERTILIZER 

Feed sparingly with a diluted balanced or cactus-specific fertilizer once every two months during the growing season; skip fertilizing in winter. 

POT & REPOTTING 

Use a pot with good drainage, ideally unglazed terracotta. Repot every 2 years, or when offsets ("pups") begin to crowd the pot. 

PROPAGATION  

Easiest by separating rooted offsets, or "pups", that grow at the base of the mother plant and potting them separately once they have a few roots of their own. 

PRUNING & MAINTENANCE 

Remove any shrivelled, damaged, or dead outer leaves at the base; no regular pruning is needed otherwise. 

PESTS & DISEASE 

Generally pest-resistant, with occasional mealybugs at the leaf bases. Root rot is the main risk from overwatering or poor drainage. 

COMMON PROBLEMS   

Mushy, translucent leaves point to overwatering or root rot. Thin, curling leaves suggest underwatering, though Aloe is quite forgiving. Leggy, stretched growth means the plant needs more light. 

SEASONAL CARE  

Growth pauses in winter – water very sparingly and keep the plant away from cold windows. In peak summer, it can handle full sun outdoors, but should be acclimatised gradually to avoid scorching. 

PET & HUMAN SAFETY  

Toxic to cats and dogs if ingested, which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, or lethargy. The clear inner gel is safe for topical human use on minor burns and cuts, but the yellow sap layer just under the skin can irritate sensitive skin and should be rinsed off before use. 

PRO TIPS FOR SUCCESS 

1. Let the soil dry out completely between waterings – Aloe's thick leaves store plenty of water for dry spells. 

2. Give it real sunlight; a bright windowsill or balcony produces much sturdier, more compact growth than indoor shade. 

3. Use a terracotta pot with drainage holes to help wick away excess moisture and prevent rot. 

4. Harvest gel only from the oldest, outermost leaves, letting the inner leaves keep growing. 

5. Separate and repot pups once they're a few centimetres tall, so the mother plant doesn't become overcrowded.