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Aloe Vera

Aloe vera
Also known as: Medicinal Aloe, Barbados Aloe

Aloe Vera is a herb in the Asphodelaceae family. It grows best in full sun to part shade with low (drought-tolerant) moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 9-11.

Varieties

1 · sorted by days to maturity
  • Aloe Vera

    PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Succulent (not currently in seed catalog). Use: Soothing leaf gel (topical); ornamental. Harvest: Cut outer mature leaves as needed.

    Aloe Vera (Aloe vera) is a drought-tolerant succulent grown for the soothing gel inside its thick leaves. Propagated from offsets ('pups'), not seed. Hardy outdoors in zones 9-11; an easy houseplant everywhere else.

    Growing notes: Botanical name: Aloe vera|Hardiness zones: 9-11|Propagation: offsets/pups|Sun needs: Full sun to part shade|Water needs: Low (drought-tolerant)|Mature height: 1-2 feet|Spacing: 18 inches|Harvest: Cut outer mature leaves as needed

Family
Asphodelaceae
Category
Herb
Form
Succulent
Lifecycle
perennial
Zone
9-11
Height
1–2 ft
Spread
1–2 ft
Sun
Full sun to part shade
Water
Low (drought-tolerant)

Plan your aloe vera planting

Add aloe vera to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.

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At a glance

Frost tolerance
Warm-season · to ~40°F
Lowest temperature the foliage usually survives

Storing & preserving

Refrigerate stems in water, or wrap in a damp towel for a few days.

  • Dry: Dehydrate or air-dry, then store airtight away from light.
  • Freeze: Freeze chopped in oil or water in ice-cube trays.

General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Growing timeline

Propagation
Offset
Schedule anchor
Last Frost

Care & troubleshooting

No curated care & troubleshooting advice for aloe vera yet. Our extension-sourced library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.