The plant you have selected is the Aloe Vera, one of the most famous and useful succulents in the world, renowned not only for its striking appearance but also for the soothing gel found within its leaves. Your plant, standing at a significant 40cm tall in its 12cm pot, is a handsome, healthy specimen ready to thrive in your home.

🌿 Foliage, Form, and Appearance

The Aloe Vera is a classic evergreen succulent, retaining its foliage all year. Its large, fleshy leaves grow in an upright, spiky rosette pattern. They are typically a muted green, sometimes displaying pale markings or mottling, and have a unique, firm texture. The plant is celebrated for its utilitarian qualities, as the clear gel found inside the leaves is widely used for cosmetics, drinks, and creams. The leaves have soft, toothy margins but the plant does not have hard spines like a cactus.

📏 Size and Growth

At 40cm, your Aloe Vera is already a substantial size. This plant has a moderate growth rate and, with good care, can eventually grow larger, forming offsets (small baby plants) that cluster around the base of the main plant. Its upright, architectural form makes it an excellent feature for any bright spot.

🌸 Flowering and Fragrance

The Aloe Vera is generally grown for its foliage and medicinal properties. While it is capable of flowering, this is a rare event for indoor plants. If it does bloom, it will send up a tall stalk that bears cylindrical, pendulous flowers that are usually yellow or orange-red. These flowers are typically not notably fragrant.

💧 Care and Environment

This succulent plant is easy to care for, as it is highly adaptable and used to dry, warm conditions found in all warm areas of the world.

• Placement: Place the Aloe Vera in a bright spot in your home. The plant can tolerate direct sunlight and is naturally accustomed to dry air. A south or west-facing window is often ideal.

• Watering: The Aloe Vera does not need much water because it stores water in its leaves.

  • General Rule: Allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. If you place the plant in a place that receives a lot of sunlight, you may need to give it some extra water slightly more often than usual.

  • Visual Cue: A good indicator that the plant needs water is if the tips of the leaves have turned red or brown. You can then water the plant, and the tips will typically turn green again after a few days.

  • Winter: In winter, the plant can go without water for several weeks as its growth slows down. Overwatering is the biggest threat.

Note: While the inner gel of the Aloe Vera is widely used, the outer green rind contains a latex (aloin) that can be a strong laxative and is often toxic in large amounts if ingested by pets or humans. It is best treated as an ornamental or cosmetic plant and kept out of reach of pets.