Common name: Medicinal Aloe
Family: Liliaceae (Aloeaceae), Lily
Height x width: 2' x 2' or more (or less indoors)
Foliage: basal rosettes of lance-shaped, fleshy and succulent gray-green leaves 6-18" long, with firm pale pink marginal teeth; forming clumps
Flowers: tubular yellow in racemes to 3', seldom in cultivation indoors
Light: full sun, will tolerate bright to moderate
Temperature: warm to cool, 40-50º when inactive
Watering: let dry between waterings, and less when inactive
Fertility: low
Humidity: dry
Soil: well-drained soil mix with sand or perlite
Pests and Problems: root rots, stem rots, mealybugs, scales
Growth habit, uses: deset garden, pot, windowsill
Other interest: widespread in tropical and subtropical regions; from the Greek allal or Arabic alloch meaning bitter; the sap of the species helps burns, and the sap of several species including this one is a popular cosmetic for helping skin and use in shampoos; over 300 related species in the genus, varying widely
Other culture: leaves become pale and red with poor soil, too low fertility and too dry
Propagation: removal of offsets, seeds
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