The plant you have chosen is the Aloe Vera, an iconic and celebrated succulent famous for its soothing gel and striking, architectural appearance. Your plant, standing at a good 45cm tall in its 14cm pot, is a lovely, manageable size, perfect for a bright spot in your home.
The Aloe Vera is a classic evergreen succulent, retaining its foliage all year round. Its most famous feature is its thick, fleshy leaves that grow in an upright, spiky rosette. The leaves have a bright green colour and are sometimes adorned with small white spines (which are typically soft or toothy rather than sharp, hard spines like a cactus). This unique appearance, combined with its healing properties (particularly the soothing gel found in its leaves), makes it a popular and beneficial indoor plant.
At 45cm, your Aloe Vera is a substantial size, making an immediate visual impact. It has a moderate growth rate and will maintain a robust, upright form. This size is ideal for display on a sunny windowsill, shelf, or desk.
The Aloe Vera is primarily valued for its foliage and therapeutic uses. Flowering is a rare event for plants kept indoors. If a bloom does occur, the plant will produce a tall stalk with clusters of tubular orange or yellow flowers. These blooms are usually not notably fragrant.
This succulent is very low maintenance and thrives in conditions that mimic its native arid habitat.
Placement: The Aloe Vera prefers a sunny location with direct sunlight, as it needs intense light to thrive. It can also be placed in a bright indoor spot, but direct sunlight is truly ideal. A south or west-facing window is usually the best location.
Water requirements: The Aloe Vera is adapted to drought and requires little water. It is crucial to allow the soil to dry well between watering sessions to prevent root rot. During the winter, watering should be significantly reduced.
Note: While the inner clear gel is used therapeutically, the yellow latex (aloin) found just beneath the outer green rind is a strong laxative and can be an irritant. For safety, the whole plant is generally considered toxic if ingested by pets or children.
