Aloe vera
var. chinensis
Chinese Aloe, Red Aloe
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Aloe vera is widespread and is the most popular of the Aloe species with over $13 billion in sales yearly of Aloe related products. Aloe vera originated in the Arabian Peninsula some 5 million years ago and has been in cultivation for 2, 000 years with its proximity to ports and trading routes establishing it as the significant Aloe species.
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| Family |
| Asphodelaceae |
| Genus |
| Aloe |
| Species |
| vera |
| Category |
| Perennials, Tropicals |
| Variety |
| chinensis |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 8a - 11b |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| Requires cool season protection under glass. |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H4 - H1c |
| Temperature (°C) |
| 0 - 5 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 10 - 20 |
| Height |
| 0.6 - 1 m |
| Spread |
| 0.6 - 1.5 m |
| Landscape |
| Ideal for rock gardens, arid landscapes, as a container plant, in mass arid plantings, as a potted indoor or patio plant or as a specimen. |
| Cultivation |
| Requires well-drained, neutral, sandy potting soil in full sun to partial shade. Requires protection from any harsh weather conditions. |
| Shape |
| Upright-spreading. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| Pests |
| Spider mites, mealy bugs, scale insects and aphid species. |
| Habitat |
| Dry mountain slopes. |
| Leaf Description |
| Thick, fleshy, erect lanceolate leaves that are serrated with small teeth. |
| Flower Description |
| The flowers are produced in summer on a spike up to 90 cm tall, each flower pendulous, with a tubular corolla 2 - 3 cm long. |
| Colour Description |
| Pale green to sage green leaves that fade from reddish-green to brownish-red. White serrations. |
| Texture Description |
| Smooth, toothed. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Centennial Conservatory, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| Division of clumps. |