HEY, are you ready to discover some special types of aloe plants for your home garden? You will love these UNIQUE outdoor and indoor plant types.
The experts at AsterGardening have made it our mission to UPGRADE your knowledge about Cacti & Succulents.
Our TEAM has shared their experience in growing LOW-MAINTENANCE aloe plants!
By the end of the article, you will master the art of identification and the uses of different aloe plants.
You LEARN useful knowledge from popular aloe vera to lesser-known varieties.
Get ready to learn about the methods to identify their uses and different types of aloe plants.
Methods to Identify Different Types Of Aloe Plants
Use my tips to IDENTIFY different aloe plant types. Come On! It’s not difficult.
1. Leaves Growth
The growth of leaves is the most effective way to identify aloe plants. Usually, these plants HAVE soft rubbery, thick, and fleshy leaves.
Different aloe types have different growth habits with common leaf patterns.
But I prefer differentiating them using their ROSETTE ARRANGEMENTS. The blue-green, bright red, or dark green leaves are also my go-to method to identify them.
2. Spines and Flowers
Usually, aloe plants have spines around their leaves. But these spines are of different types.
Some spines are HARD and can prick, but some aloe species have SOFT spines that don’t.
Aloe vera tubular flowers bloom in bright colors, but these are different in shades. I use these SHADES to differentiate the plants.
3. Sap
The thick fleshy leaves have sap. But these fluids of all aloe plants are not edible. You can differentiate them according to their sap nature.
REMEMBER that the sap of some types of aloe plants may be toxic to humans.
Use of Aloe Plants
Planting aloe in your garden adds several benefits listed below.
1. Add Beauty
Aloe plants are BEST for landscaping, need low maintenance, and like to thrive in dry climates.
Moreover, the colorful blooms add an AESTHETIC VIEW to your garden.
2. Attract Birds
Their EARLY spring blooms are a mesmerizing site. They attract birds and pollinators.
These nectar lovers add charms to your garden and help the aloe plants in pollination.
3. Healing Characteristics
Are you SUFFERING from hair or burn problems? Then the aloe vera plant is an effective solution to your issues.
Its excellent healing power helps you SURVIVE hair, burns, skin, and various issues. Want to have instant access to heal your burns and hair? Then plant tree aloe!
4. Textile Fiber
Aloe vera plants produce natural Fiber, which is very common for fabric and yarn.
It is a new Fiber, and aloe plants are the only way to EXTRACT them. Hence, the extension of its possibility is mysterious.
16 Types of Aloe Plants
Hey plant lovers! Here are the 16 aloe plants. Ah! A pure delight for eyes and garden landscape.
Enjoy their beauty and healing powers.
1. Aloe aristata
Hardiness Zones: USDA zones 7 to 11
Light Requirement: Full sun to shade
Mature Size: Grow up to 10 inches tall and wide
Water Needs: 2 to 4 times a month
Native Area: South Africa
Soil Needs: Dry soil
Aloe Aristata, also known as lace aloe, didn’t disappoint me when I planted it. Its flashy leaves with white spots gave me a SNOWDROP feel on the aloe plant.
You will love them in the blooming season. The POLLINATORS love their peachy flowers.
Lace aloe is not water hungry. It can use leaf sap for water needs once they are mature. Suitable for INDOOR plantings but also good for outdoor options.
Lace aloe thrives in dry soil, so it is good to water it when it becomes dry.
I found that an excellent drainage system and the TEMPERATURE at 50 F is important for blooming.
2. Aloe polyphylla
Hardiness Zones: USDA zones 9 to 12
Light Requirement: Full to partial sun
Mature Size: 1 foot tall & 2 feet in spread
Water Needs: Water when soil becomes dry
Native Area: Maluti Mountains, South Africa
Soil Needs: Well-drained soil
Are you LOOKING for indoor aloe plants? The spiral aloe is a great addition to your indoor decoration.
Spiral aloe is another erratic aloe plant. It has a unique look due to its arranged pointed leaves, which gives a spiral look.
It has green, blue, and curved leaves with LARGE TEETH. Its spiral thick leaves make it unique among others.
The long stems of aloe polyphylla bear vibrant and colorful blooms.
Spiral aloe can THRIVE outdoors. It likes well-drained soil. But my aloe polyphylla plants survived and grew well in the potting mixture.
3. Aloe ferox
Hardiness Zones: USDA zones 9b to 11
Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature Size: 6 feet to 10 feet in height and spread
Water Needs: Drought tolerant, low to moderate water needs
Native Area: South Africa
Soil Needs: well-drained soil like to thrive in rocky and sandy soil
Aloe ferox, also KNOWN as cap aloe or bitter aloe. Their unique blooms can attract pollinators with their unique shape. They HAVE brown teeth on each leaf.
The leaves are identical once the plants mature and have brown spines on their edges. Aloe ferox has valued for its transparent gel.
The red-tinged leaves of cap aloe contain an INCREDIBLE amount of edible flash.
But don’t settle for edible flesh only. Cape Aloe has some surprises for you. Be it skincare or food supplements, they are the GAME.
Plant your Cape Aloe in well-drained, rocky, and sandy soil. It thrives in full sun to shade and needs a temperature of 55 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Aloe petricola
Hardiness Zones: USDA hardiness zone 9b to 11
Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature Size: 1 to 2 feet in height and spread
Water Needs: Draught tolerant, need low to moderate water
Native Area: South Africa
Soil Needs: Well-drained soil
Aloe petricola is another plant COMMON for gardening. It is a slow-growing aloe species.
Its bowl-shaped growing habit and bright-colored flowers, and blue-green leaves make it unique.
But it’s not only the color. Spines make them look different, with irregular patterns on the edges.
This succulent aloe plant can survive some beating. You can plant it in ROCKY areas without requiring much maintenance. Due to this, it’s known as stone aloe.
Stone aloe is draught-tolerant and needs a good DRAINAGE system to prevent root rot. It can survive at a temperature of 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Aloe ciliaris
Hardiness Zones: USDA hardiness zone 9b to 11
Light Requirement: Full sun exposure, partial shade
Mature Size: 3 – 6 feet tall and spread
Water Needs: Regular watering during blooming, but don’t overwater
Native Area: South Africa
Soil Needs: Well-drained, sandy, loamy, and rocky soil.
Are you looking for an easy-grow aloe plant? I found aloe ciliaris the perfect choice, as I grow it from cuttings.
Aloe ciliaris also known as climbing aloe because its growth rate is fast enough. The tree aloe is a unique feel to its leaves. They are curvy with small hairs on the surface.
But because of fast growth, it has an untidy structure. Climbing aloe grows indoors but needs to place in a bright area.
The bright orange flowers add beauty to this aloe. It is a perfect choice for house plants and ATTRACTS birds and butterflies.
6. Aloe pluridens
Hardiness Zones: USDA zone 9 to 11
Light Requirement: Full to partial sun
Mature Size: 6 feet to 10 feet tall and spread
Water Needs: Low to moderate water
Native Area: Madagascar
Soil Needs: Well-drained, loamy, rocky, and sandy soil
Aloe pluridens is an aloe genus and the best outdoor option because of its size. It has narrow pale green leaves which curve around the stem.
Its flowers RISE above the plant and have bright colors. The flowers of this aloe species pack and make bunches.
Leaves have SMALL SPIKES along the edges with margins. It is a decorative aloe tree and can grow in large beds as it is an aloe tree than a bed plant.
I found that aloe pluridens need well-drained soil but need REGULAR IRRIGATION. These are garden tree aloe and last for three weeks in a pot.
7. Aloe dorotheae
Hardiness Zones: USDA zones 9b to 11b.
Light Requirement: Full Sun to Part Sun
Mature Size: 11 to 12 inches in height and spread
Water Needs: Low water requirements.
Native Area: Tanzania
Soil Needs: Loose and well-drained
Aloe dorothea is another aloe species known for its bright red shades, which look like the plant is on fire.
Amazing right? The leaves look on fire in sunlight but light green without it. You can feel their color change according to sun exposure.
Sunset aloe is EVERGREEN with fleshy leaves and teeth around the edges. It is a rosette plant with flat leaves.
The sunset aloe THRIVES better in sandy, well-drained, and rocky soil. Whether it’s full sun or partial shade, Sunset aloe can grow well.
8. Aloe maculata
Hardiness Zones: USDA hardiness zone 8 to 11
Light Requirement: Full sun
Mature Size: 10 to 12 inches in height and spread
Water Needs: Low water need
Native Area: Southern Africa, south-eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe.
Soil Needs: Loose and well-drained soil
Here is a distinguished plant known as soap aloe. Well, they are not used for soap manufacturing. They get their name from their soap, like RESIDUE.
Leaves have white spots and spikes along the edges. The soap aloe has broad and triangular leaves, which makes a wide rosette.
The red tubular flowers spread BLOOM at the top of the aloe vera plant and last until late winter.
The blooms are responsible for pulling some guests. They attract pollinators and hummingbirds.
Don’t overwater this aloe; my experiment with OVERWATERING didn’t go well. So avoid this mistake as I did and track your plant.
9. Aloe arborescens
Hardiness Zones: USDA zone 9 to 11
Light Requirement: Full sun
Mature Size: 7 to 9 feet in height and spread
Water Needs: Low to moderate
Native Area: South Africa
Soil Needs: Loose and well drained
You can call aloe arborescens a torch aloe or Candelabra aloe due to the FIERY look of its blooms.
These tree aloes have large, toothy leaves, which is good for animal fencing. It has twisted leaves from the edges.
Usually, leaves are green but can TURN red or purple in strong light. It produces long blooms and makes it red aloe.
NATIVES use this red aloe as medicine. This African aloe can reproduce and create a BORDER to your garden.
Aloe arborescens are drought tolerant and the best addition to your planting areas.
10. Aloe arenicola
Hardiness Zones: USDA hardiness zone is 9 to 11
Light Requirement: Full to part sun
Mature Size: 1 to 2 feet tall
Water Needs: Low to moderate
Native Area: South Africa, especially in Western Cape
Soil Needs: Well-drained and sandy soil
Aloe arenicola, called sand aloe, has soft leaves with white spots. Leaves GROW straight upward and are larger enough.
The flowers of sand aloe are pale red with yellow mouth openings. They need water but low to moderate, especially in SUMMER.
They need proper care if you want to grow them in your garden. Otherwise, they are the BEST indoor options.
You can pot them but place them in a bright area. Sometimes they show small brown spots, which is QUITE NORMAL.
Aloe arenicola thrives in full sun. They need protection from rain while planting outdoors. Please provide a PROPER draining system by planting it in the pot.
11. Aloe broomii
Hardiness Zones: USDA zones 9b to 11b.
Light Requirement: Full sun
Mature Size: 6 feet tall, 5 feet in spread
Water Needs: Low water.
Native Area: South Africa
Soil Needs: Loose and well-drained soil
These aloe vera varieties HAVE slender snake-shaped leaves. Due to this, you can call them snake aloe.
The leaves are blueish-green and have spikes or sharp edges. Sanke aloe has SMALL brown teeth in leaves, giving them a fine and STITCHED look.
The orange flowers bloom in winter and attract pollinators. These are ornamental plants due to their neat, well-arranged rosette.
Don’t overwater the aloe broomii. You can grow snake aloe in pots with proper drainage. Place the pot in a well-lighted area to thrive in its growth.
They can bear different environmental changes due to their strong nature.
12. Aloe camperi
Hardiness Zones: USDA hardiness zone is 10 to 11
Light Requirement: Full to part sun
Mature Size: 3 to 4 feet in height and spread
Water Needs: Low to moderate
Native Area: Namibia, southwestern Africa
Soil Needs: Sandy, well-drained, rocky soil
Aloe camperi flourish in COLONIES so that you can plant them in your spacious garden. The flowers of this aloe plant are orange and bloom in early spring.
The leaves are a BRIGHT green shade with regular spikes around them. The long and wide stems create bunches of leaves.
It is a DROUGHT-TOLERANT aloe plant and can survive without water for months. You can grow them with plants that require more water.
Aloe camperi love to bring up in DRY soil and thrive in temperatures below two degrees Celsius. They prefer full to light shade and are drought tolerant.
13. Aloe variegata
Hardiness Zones: USDA zone 9 to 11
Light Requirement: Full sun
Mature Size: 8 to 10 inches tall
Water Needs: Low water requirements
Native Area: Northern Cape of South Africa
Soil Needs: Loose and well-drained
Aloe variegata is another aloe species known as tiger aloe, dwarf aloe. They are small to medium-sized plants.
Dwarf aloe packs the rosette arrangement. You can see a unique but attractive white-stripped pattern on them. They produce flowers of BRIGHT colors.
But REMEMBER, don’t touch its sap as it is toxic and not edible aloe vera species.
I LOVE this plant due to its small size and low maintenance. They bloom in winter and need watering quite often.
14. Aloe plicatilis
Hardiness Zones: USDA zone 9 to 12
Light Requirement: Full sun
Mature Size: 4 to 8 feet
Water Needs: Low water needs
Native Area: South Africa
Soil Needs: Well-drained, dry soil
Aloe plicatilis, or fan aloe, is the TALLEST aloe plant in the aloe genus. You can recognize them due to their flashy leaves and their formation.
A mature fan aloe plant has an excellent fan formation on its top and resembles a palm tree.
It has large flat leaves curved toward the center. The coral-colored tips add beauty to this plant.
I like how their bright red flowers are full of NECTAR and attract birds. My garden remains full of pollinators due to fan aloe.
REMEMBER that the sap of their leaves is toxic, and aloe plicatilis is not edible.
Plant aloe plicatilis in well-drained soil. Don’t OVERWATER the aloe plant to avoid root rot.
15. Aloe erinacea
Hardiness Zones: USDA zone is 9 to 11
Light Requirement: Bright and direct sunlight
Mature Size: 2 feet in height and spread
Water Needs: Low to moderate
Native Area: South Africa
Soil Needs: Well-drained soil
Aloe erinacea, or mountain aloe, is a species of aloe plant that is small and has dense clumps due to offsetting.
Its brown leaves make a beautiful SPHERICAL rosette and frequent bunches. Mountain aloe has large spikes, but they don’t prickle.
Have you seen their blooms? They are initially bright red, but maturity makes them yellow. They spread their beautiful colors during winter.
Check your plant to see any symptoms of overwatering, as it is very susceptible to root rot.
Water the mountain plant in summer and STOP watering during winter. Don’t let the water stay in the rosette. Track the plant for susceptible indications.
16. Aloe juvenna
Hardiness Zones: USDA zones 9b to 11b
Light Requirement: Full sun
Mature Size: 2 feet tall and spread
Water Needs: Adequate water needs
Native Area: Kenya
Soil Needs: Well-drained
These tiger tooth aloe plants have sharp spikes but will not prick when touching them. It has dark green leaves which SHINE in the sunlight.
It has a unique growing habit and moves upward like a tower. It creates clumps of leaves and sends out offshoots.
Aloe juvenna’s flowers bloom rarely, and if they bloom, they produce coral-colored flowers.
The flowers are UNIQUE in the way they emerge. You can see them separately extending from the main plant.
Tiger tooth aloe plants need adequate water. But provide an excellent DRAINAGE system to prevent root rot.
FAQs about Types Of Aloe Plants
1. How long can aloe plants live?
Aloe plants can last several years if you provide them with proper care. The indoor plants may last up to 12 years, while the outdoor plants may live longer, up to two decades.
2. Why do the leaves on my aloe plants keep falling out?
It may happen for several reasons, including lack of sunlight and sunburn. Disease, overwatering, underwatering, or pest infestation are other issues. Check your aloe plant to identify the issue and take immediate steps to overcome the problem.
3. What variety of aloe plant gets the largest?
The aloe marlothii can get the largest among other aloe plants. It can get 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide at maturity. Unlike other aloe species, this variety can form a tree-like structure. It imposes a sturdy and impressive appearance.
4. What do I do if my aloe plant has root rot?
Remove the aloe plant from your pot and examine the roots. Cut the brown or damaged parts with sharp and clean tools. Clean and re-pot the remaining healthy roots into a new pot and soil. If the roots affect, the plant will not survive.
5. Do aloe plants attract bugs?
Aloe plants attract bugs like mites and aphids as they suck their sap. There is no need to use any pesticides to kill these bugs. You can deal with these bugs using neem oil and soapy water.
6. Can you propagate aloe plants from just clippings?
Aloe plants can propagate through division and cuttings. But it depends on the types of aloe plants. You can try both methods if you don’t know which is best for your aloe vera species.
What’s Next
Aloe plants come in a diverse range according to their appearance.
You choose any of them ACCORDING to your environment and grow them in your garden with the help of this guide.
These aloe plants add beauty to your garden. Moreover, you also ENJOY their medicinal properties, maintenance, and characteristics.
So what are you waiting for? Choose your favorite aloe plant from the ABOVE LIST and grow it in your garden.
Do you need more help to plant these different aloe plants in your garden, or do you need other gardening help?
Visit our AsterGardening site to get help and INSTRUCTION from horticulturist experts. Visit the website to get more KNOWLEDGE and resolve your planting issue.
