7 Common Aloe Varieties You See in Everyday Life, Which One Are You Growing?

There are a great many aloe varieties, but we only need to know a few of the common ones from everyday life. Some aloes are grown as cash crops, such as the common Aloe vera (Curaçao aloe), which can be used medicinally, and in some regions it is even planted in large fields as a cash crop.

I. Introduction to Common Aloe Varieties

1

Chinese Aloe

The leaves of Chinese aloe have many irregular white spots, so it is also called spotted aloe. It is an excellent variety of Aloe vera, and the plant shape is somewhat similar, but its stem is shorter, the leaves grow in clusters, and it easily produces side shoots. It is a very common aloe variety in China.

2

Aloe vera (Curaçao Aloe)

Also called emerald aloe, as you can see from the picture above, its seedlings actually have spots too, but these fade as it grows, and the leaves become thick and sturdy.

Care requires a warm, dry environment with plenty of sunlight every day; it is best to provide at least 8 hours of light daily, plus well-drained sandy soil, so the plant can stay strong and grow well.

3

Tree Aloe

People like to call it dragon's claw. It is an aloe whose leaves curl as they grow, and its stem can grow upright; after being grown for a long time, the stem becomes woody.

It is also a common medicinal aloe, and its leaves can be eaten raw or juiced, making it a very popular aloe variety among plant lovers. Care requires plenty of scattered light, well-drained soil, and a warm, airy environment.

4

Cape Aloe

It is a large aloe variety, native to South Africa, and it likes a warm, humid environment. I have found that many pictures of it online are wrong. Its young plant is as shown above. Its leaves are somewhat harder in texture than those of other aloes, and the leaf surface has a white powder that serves as its protective film. The plant can keep growing larger.

5

Soap Aloe

Soap aloe has many regular spots on its leaves, and the leaves grow in clusters at the base of the stem. Its foliage is very abundant, making it suitable for container growing.

Caring for soap aloe requires a warm, dry environment with plenty of scattered light every day, and appropriate shading in summer. The potting soil needs to be well-drained, loose, sandy soil. Water only after the potting soil has completely dried out, and avoid frequent watering. In winter, the care temperature should stay above 0 degrees.

6

Aloe nobilis (Gold-Tooth Aloe)

Aloe nobilis is a common container variety. Its plant shape is compact, its leaves grow rather neatly, and it has high ornamental value.

Care requires keeping a warm, airy environment, with appropriate shading in summer; in other seasons it can be grown in full sun. Watering should be properly controlled. It is a plant that fears waterlogging and cold, with a minimum care temperature above 0 degrees, and water should start being reduced when the temperature is below 10 degrees.

7

Aloe polyphylla (Spiral Aloe)

It has a great many leaves that grow in a spiral, so it is also called the many-leaved spiral aloe. It is an especially refined-looking aloe variety.

Care requires a warm, dry environment, and in winter the minimum care temperature should be above 0 degrees to avoid frost damage. Choose loose, well-drained soil. It does not need much water, and care should avoid water accumulating in the potting soil.