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Cacti & Succulents

Different Species of Aloe Vera?

14 years ago

I'm a bit confused about the terminology for aloe vera.

According to wiki, Aloe Vera's suppose to be synonymous with aloe barbadensis. I want to buy some ebay plants for aloe vera, but some of the listings have aloe vera, or aloe barbadensis. They look a bit different too, some have spots, some don't, some have rounder leaves, some have flatter leaves.

The one i'm interested in getting is http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140344376528&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_612wt_1165

Is it aloe barbadensis? is it edible? why do some aloe have white spots on them and some don't? thanks!

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Comments (2)

kamikan
Original Author
14 years ago
also can anyone tell me what species of aloe this is

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3109/whatspecies.jpg

thanks!
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paracelsus
14 years ago
The problem with identifying the 'true' Aloe vera is that it has been cultivated by man for so long. There are no longer any 'wild' populations of this plant. Since it is easily hybridized with other Aloes, there are now a great many different plants being called Aloe vera. The one called barbadensis is thought to be closest to the original species. It's flowers are yellow. Most of the pretender Aloe vera have orange-red flowers. Many, like the one being sold on ebay, are small hybrids.

Aloe barbadensis is a large Aloe, with grey-green leaves reaching more than two feet long. Spots are absent in adult speciments, but subtle spots may be present on juvenile specimens.

Many Aloes have the same medicinal qualities, although none are truly edible. There are two different parts of the leaves that are used medicinally. The inner 'gel' is the part soothing to burned skin. The yellow lining of the leaves contains powerful laxatives. It is sometimes called 'aloe juice'. The original medicinal reason for cultivation of Aloe vera by desert bedouin tribes in Arabia was for it's laxative properties, constipation being a serious problem in the desert.

Hope that helps a little.

Brad

Here is a link that might be useful: Aloe vera
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There seems to be some confusion again with common names - Aloe vera is Aloe vera :-) Although that term is sometimes used to refer to ANY kind of aloe, there are not two species of true or common, aka medicinal aloe. There ARE many species of aloe....as many as 400 have been registered but true aloe, Aloe vera (formerly Aloe barbadensis), is the one noted for medicinal purposes. There is some documentation that Aloe arborescens also has similar medicinal properties but as the species name suggests, this has a much more tree-like growth habit and develops a distinct stem or trunk. The difference in growth habits between the two plants shown in the pics is simply due to age and maturity. Aloe vera will form a full rosette if given sufficient time and proper growing conditions. Check the Wiki photo linked below. The smaller ones that appear to only grow laterally rather than in a round rosette of leaves are just young, immature plants (offsets or pups) and hampered from full development by lack of time and indoor growing conditions. Here is a link that might be useful:
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There are hundreds of Aloe species, and many more cultivars and unnamed hybrids. There can also be some variability within a species. Pictures would help, but even then IDs may be elusive. Most Aloe veras I know of have yellow, or sometimes orange flowers. The patch growing near at the old property may have been another species, such as arborescens.
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yorkiemiki, I'm sorry I don't have anything else to add. I don't grow Aloes myself and I'm definitely not one to ask for a proper ID. I hope someone else responds to your post about an ID. If you don't get a response at all within say a week, I'd make a new post asking for an ID. Try to give folks a few days before considering this though, as I'm sure someone will respond to this post within the next couple days. Some days on this forum are slower than others, but someone almost always responds to every post. lol@the technical difficulties. Glad you got it worked out. Having the pictures embedded in your message like you do will help a lot! I hope I have been of some help. I know having an ID is what you really want though. Planto
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I know very little about plants but am learning as I go. I am especially new at nomenclature. I had an "aloe vera" bought at some store or other-bright green with spots. I had it a couple of years and it got very big with my care and had many pups that I cut off and gave away several times. When it was about two feet tall (not counting the bloom)it lost its spots and became less bright green and started to bloom every late winter with yellow flowers. It still had many, many pups. Maybe the confusion is just that the plant is differant colors depending on light and/or age. Lots of pictures of the same kind of succulent are all different colors, same plant, depending on light and heat and culture etc. Too bad mine was over balanced in its pot and did a suicide leap off the desk. Now I am back to one little 3 in. pup, bright green with spots, that isn't getting much light under a plant light in the basement. I am inspired now to bring it up into the light...where it will get huge again... and less green and..... I will post a picture on the gallery page. I know how to do that, I think.
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