How To Take Care of an Aloe Vera Plant

Aloe vera is native to Africa, and there are more than 300 species of this tropical succulent. Aloe is a classic house plant, a fixture on kitchen windowsills, bathroom ledges and patios. It’s super easy to grow. Since it’s a succulent, aloe needs little water to thrive because it holds water and nutrients in its thick leaves. Technically a perennial, aloe is usually grown as a house plant because it can’t survive freezing temperatures. Aloe isn’t just pretty, though. The sap from its leaves soothes minor burns and scrapes on your skin. Here’s how to grow aloe vera.

Most aloe plants are sold in a plastic pot of soil. Repot it as soon as you can so it gets new, nutrient-rich soil. Use a well-draining potting mix, like the ones made for cacti and succulent plants. Don’t use garden soil because it holds too much water and could cause root rot. Too much water kills aloe. 

Choose a container with at least one drainage hole so excess water can run out of the pot. Pick a container that’s as wide as it is deep because aloe vera plants have wide, shallow root systems. Terra cotta or ceramic pots are heavy enough to keep aloe from tipping over.

Be stingy but consistent with water. Aloe likes it dry, but it does need to be watered regularly. Just let the soil dry out between waterings or the aloe may get root rot. A good rule of thumb is to water your aloe when the top inch of soil is dry.

Give aloe indirect sunlight. Aloe needs at least six hours a day of bright sunlight. Too much direct sunlight will burn its leaves, ironic since we use its sap to soothe sunburn. Put aloe on a covered patio or porch, or indoors by a window that lets in lots of filtered sunlight.

Keep it cool. Aloe thrives in temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees. That’s why it does so well as a house plant. It has the same comfort zone as you. Temperatures higher than 85 degrees slow aloe’s growth, and a freeze will kill it.

Fertilize aloe just once a year. Feed your plant in the spring, at the start of its growing season when it will need peak nutrients. Aloe vera prefers poor soil because it evolved to thrive in desert soil.

Prune any yellow or brown leaves. This keeps the plant healthy and pretty. Cut dead or damaged leaves off at the base of the plant with a hand pruner to encourage new growth.

The easiest way to grow new aloe is by repotting the baby plants that develop at the base of the plant. Those baby plants are called offsets or pups.

Use a trowel to gently pry them away from the mother plant and cut the taproot that connects them. Be sure you get a pup with some roots on it.

Plant the pup in its own pot, covering its roots with soil. Water it and use a plant starter solution to minimize transplant shock and encourage root growth. Once its roots are established, gift your baby aloe to a plant-loving pal.

Overwatering is the number one cause of death for an aloe plant. Soggy soil causes root rot, mushy leaves and a dead plant. The first rule of aloe vera plant care is do not overwater. Once more for the people in the back: Do not overwater your aloe.

If you do overwater your aloe, it's nearly impossible to save it. If you realize your mistake when some outer leaves are mushy, there's still time to save the plant. Remove the rotting leaves and stop watering the aloe until the soil is completely dried out. If the aloe's center leaves have gone squishy, it's too late to save the plant. Just toss the whole aloe into the compost pile and buy another one. Forgive yourself, we all learn to grow things by trial and error.

Does aloe vera bloom?
Yes! If you live in zones 9 to 12 and can grow an aloe as an outdoor plant, an aloe vera plant will send up a stalk of flowers in red, yellow or orange in the late spring or early summer. It’s hard to get aloe vera to bloom indoors.

Is aloe vera safe for pets?
No. Aloe is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. If your pet eats aloe, it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. Keep aloe plants away from your pets. Here are some plants that are safe for pets.

Help! Why is my aloe plant is turning brown.
If leaves are pale brown and squishy, you've overwatered the plant. Stop watering it immediately, remove those dying leaves and do not water the aloe again until the soil is completely dried out.  your aloe may survive. If it's dark brown and dead-looking, your plant may need water or it may be burned from getting too much direct sunlight.

Is aloe vera different than agave?
Yes. They’re both succulents and they both have spiky leaves arranged in a rosette shape, but the similarities end there. Aloe and agave aren’t even in the same botanical family. Agave is native to the Americas and the Caribbean, and it’s generally grown as an outdoor plant. Aloe vera is native to the Middle East and Africa and is usually grown as an indoor plant outside of warm zones.