Aloe – a large family
Did you know that what we commonly call “aloe” is a genus with several hundred species(list of aloe species). What these species have in common is that they are urban succulents, i.e. plants that stay green all year round and have a well-developed ability to store water.
The different species can have slightly different growth habits, ranging from herbaceous or stemless to more tree or shrub-like.
The leaves of the Aloe species are all sword-like and hard and are arranged in a rosette around a stem. At the top of the stem are yellow, red, green or white inflorescences.
The Aloe genus belongs to the aphid family(Asphodelaceae) Read more about the aphid family here…
Carl von Linné
Did you know that the author* of the name Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. is the Swede Carl von Linné.
Carl Linnaeus named the species ‘aloe’ in his work Species plantarum published in 1753.
Although Aloe vera had been used for various purposes long before, it was Linnaeus who named it and placed it in its current position in the systematics.
* Author is the person in systematics who first used a particular scientific name.
Afodil plants(Asphodelaceae)
Aphrodisiacs (Asphodelaceae) are a family within theasparagus order (Asparagales). About half of the species in the family Aphrodisiacs (Asphodelaceae) are aloe. In the past, aphrodite plants were divided into lily plants (Liliaceae) and aloe plants (Aloeaceae) and you can sometimes see similarities between aloe and lilies, for example we have seen the name desert lily for aloe. Nowadays, however, lilies are a separate order (Liliales) and perhaps a more accurate name for aloe would be desert asparagus.
Other families within the asparagus order include bulbous plants (Alliaceae), orchids (Orchidaceae), amaryllis plants (Amaryllidaceae) and of course the Asparagus plants (Aspargaceae).
Many species
The Aloe genus consists of several hundred species but only a few are used commercially. By far the most common species used in industry is ‘true aloe’, i.e. Aloe vera. (L.) Burm. f. (Aloe barbadensis Mill.).
Other species that may occur commercially include Kapaloe (Aloe ferox), Tree Aloe (Aloe arborescens) and Aloe spicata (Aloe sessiflora or also aloe tauri).
The species Short-leaved aloe (Aloe brevifolia), Aloe descoingsii, Taggaloe (Aloe marlothii), Aloe perry, Aloe saponaria and Aloe variegata are also used, but as decorative flowers.
Below is a list of different aloe vera species. How many do you recognize?
Blue aloe (A. glauca)
Borstaloe (A. aristata)
Brokaloe (A. bakeri)
Torch aloe (A. succotrina)
Kapaloe (A. ferox)
Short leaf aloe (A. brevifolia)
Ormaloe (A. broomii)
Sebra-aloe (A. variegata)
Spring aloe (A. plicatilis)
Spetsaloe (A. camperi)
Strimaloe (A. striata)
Saw palmetto (A. maculata)
Taggaloe (A. marlothii)
Tree aloe (A. arborescens)
Spring thale (A. humilis)
Aloe aurelienii
Aloe austroarabica
Aloe babatiensis
Aloe ballii
Aloe ballyi
Aloe bargalensis
Aloe berevoana
Aloe bernadettae
Aloe bertemariae
Aloe betsileensis
Aloe boscawenii
Aloe bosseri
Aloe boylei
Aloe branddraaiensis
Aloe brandhamii
Aloe chlorantha
Aloe chortolirioides
Aloe christianii
Aloe ciliaris
Aloe citrina
Aloe clarkei
Aloe classenii
Aloe collenetteae
Aloe collina
Aloe commixta
Aloe comosa
Aloe compressa
Aloe confusa
Aloe congdonii
Aloe conifera
Aloe elegantissima
Aloe elgonica
Aloe elkerriana
Aloe eminens
Aloe eremophila
Aloe erensii
Aloe ericahenriettae
Aloe ericetorum
Aloe erythrophylla
Aloe esculenta
Aloe eumassawana
Aloe excelsa
Aloe eximia
Aloe falcata
Aloe fibrosa
Aloe hazeliana
Aloe helenae
Aloe heliderana
Aloe hemmingii
Aloe hendrickxii
Aloe heybensis
Aloe hlangapies
Aloe hoffmannii
Aloe humbertii
Aloe ibitiensis
Aloe ifanadianae
Aloe imalotensis
Aloe imerinensis
Aloe immaculata
Aloe inamara
Aloe lateritia
Aloe leachii
Aloe leandrii
Aloe leedalii
Aloe lensayuensis
Aloe lepida
Aloe lettyae
Aloe lindenii
Aloe linearifolia
Aloe lolwensis
Aloe longibracteata
Aloe longistyla
Aloe luapulana
Aloe lucile-allorgeae
Aloe luntii
Aloe mubendiensis
Aloe mudenensis
Aloe multicolor
Aloe munchii
Aloe murina
Aloe musapana
Aloe mutabilis
Aloe mzimbana
Aloe namibensis
Aloe neoqaharensis
Aloe neosteudneri
Aloe newtonii
Aloe ngobitensis
Aloe ngongensis
Aloe nicholsii
Aloe plowesii
Aloe polyphylla
Aloe porphyrostachys
Aloe powysiorum
Aloe praetermissa
Aloe pratensis
Aloe pretoriensis
Aloe prinslooi
Aloe procera
Aloe pronkii
Aloe pruinosa
Aloe pseudoparvula
Aloe pseudorubroviolacea
Aloe pubescens
Aloe pulcherrima
Aloe simii
Aloe sinana
Aloe sinkatana
Aloe soutpansbergensis
Aloe steudneri
Aloe striatula
Aloe suarezensis
Aloe suffulta
Aloe suprafoliata
Aloe suzannae
Aloe tartarensis
Aloe tauri
Aloe tewoldei
Aloe thompsoniae
Aloe thorncroftii
Aloe yavellana
Aloe yemenica
Äkta aloe (A. vera)
Aloe aageodonta
Aloe abyssicola
Aloe aculeata
Aloe acutissima
Aloe affinis
Aloe ahmarensis
Aloe albostriata
Aloe albovestita
Aloe alexandrei
Aloe alfredii
Aloe ambigens
Aloe ambositrae
Aloe ambrensis
Aloe amicorum
Aloe breviscapa
Aloe brunneodentata
Aloe brunneostriata
Aloe bruynsii
Aloe buchananii
Aloe buchlohii
Aloe buhrii
Aloe bukobana
Aloe bulbicaulis
Aloe bulbillifera
Aloe bullockii
Aloe burgersfortensis
Aloe calidophila
Aloe cameronii
Aloe canarina
Aloe cooperi
Aloe corallina
Aloe craibii
Aloe crassipes
Aloe cremnophila
Aloe cryptoflora
Aloe cyrtophylla
Aloe dabenorisana
Aloe darainensis
Aloe decaryi
Aloe decorsei
Aloe decurva
Aloe deinacantha
Aloe delphinensis
Aloe deserti
Aloe fievetii
Aloe fimbrialis
Aloe fleurentinorum
Aloe fleuretteana
Aloe flexilifolia
Aloe florenceae
Aloe forbesii
Aloe fosteri
Aloe fouriei
Aloe fragilis
Aloe francombei
Aloe friisii
Aloe gerstneri
Aloe gilbertii
Aloe gillettii
Aloe inconspicua
Aloe inermis
Aloe inexpectata
Aloe integra
Aloe inyangensis
Aloe irafensis
Aloe isaloensis
Aloe jacksonii
Aloe jawiyon
Aloe jibisana
Aloe johannis
Aloe johannis-bernardii
Aloe johannis-philippei
Aloe jucunda
Aloe juddii
Aloe lutescens
Aloe macleayi
Aloe macroclada
Aloe madecassa
Aloe mahraensis
Aloe manandonae
Aloe mandotoensis
Aloe mawii
Aloe mayottensis
Aloe mccoyi
Aloe mcloughlinii
Aloe medishiana
Aloe megalacantha
Aloe megalocarpa
Aloe melanacantha
Aloe niebuhriana
Aloe nordaliae
Aloe nubigena
Aloe nyeriensis
Aloe omavandae
Aloe omoana
Aloe orlandi
Aloe ortholopha
Aloe pachydactylos
Aloe pachygaster
Aloe paedogona
Aloe palmiformis
Aloe parallelifolia
Aloe parvicapsula
Aloe parvidens
Aloe pustuligemma
Aloe rabaiensis
Aloe rebmannii
Aloe reitzii
Aloe rendilliorum
Aloe reynoldsii
Aloe richardsiae
Aloe richaudii
Aloe rigens
Aloe rivae
Aloe rodolphei
Aloe roeoeslii
Aloe rubrodonta
Aloe rubroviolacea
Aloe rupicola
Aloe thraskii
Aloe tomentosa
Aloe tororoana
Aloe torrei
Aloe trichosantha
Aloe trigonantha
Aloe trothae
Aloe tulearensis
Aloe turkanensis
Aloe ukambensis
Aloe vallaris
Aloe vanbalenii
Aloe vanrooyenii
Aloe vaombe
Aloe vaotsanda
Aloe ampefyana
Aloe amudatensis
Aloe andongensis
Aloe andringitrensis
Aloe angelica
Aloe ankaranensis
Aloe ankoberensis
Aloe antonii
Aloe archeri
Aloe arenicola
Aloe argenticauda
Aloe argyrostachys
Aloe armatissima
Aloe asperifolia
Aloe aufensis
Aloe canii
Aloe canis
Aloe cannellii
Aloe capitata
Aloe capmanambatoensis
Aloe carnea
Aloe carolineae
Aloe castanea
Aloe castilloniae
Aloe cataractarum
Aloe catengiana
Aloe chabaudii
Aloe challisii
Aloe charlotteae
Aloe cheranganiensis
Aloe dewetii
Aloe dewinteri
Aloe dhufarensis
Aloe dinteri
Aloe diolii
Aloe divaricata
Aloe djiboutiensis
Aloe doddsiorum
Aloe dominella
Aloe downsiana
Aloe droseroides
Aloe duckeri
Aloe dyeri
Aloe edouardii
Aloe elata
Aloe globuligemma
Aloe gossweileri
Aloe gracilicaulis
Aloe grandidentata
Aloe grata
Aloe greatheadii
Aloe greenii
Aloe grisea
Aloe guerrae
Aloe guillaumetii
Aloe haemanthifolia
Aloe haggeherensis
Aloe hahnii
Aloe hardyi
Aloe harlana
Aloe juvenna
Aloe kahinii
Aloe kamnelii
Aloe kaokoensis
Aloe keayi
Aloe kefaensis
Aloe ketabrowniorum
Aloe khamiesensis
Aloe kilifiensis
Aloe kouebokkeveldensis
Aloe kraussii
Aloe kulalensis
Aloe kwasimbana
Aloe lanata
Aloe latens
Aloe mendesii
Aloe menyharthii
Aloe metallica
Aloe micracantha
Aloe microstigma
Aloe millotii
Aloe milne-redheadii
Aloe miskatana
Aloe mitsioana
Aloe modesta
Aloe molederana
Aloe monotropa
Aloe monticola
Aloe morijensis
Aloe mossurilensis
Aloe patersonii
Aloe pavelkae
Aloe pearsonii
Aloe peckii
Aloe peglerae
Aloe penduliflora
Aloe perdita
Aloe perrieri
Aloe perryi
Aloe petricola
Aloe petrophila
Aloe philippei
Aloe pictifolia
Aloe pienaarii
Aloe pirottae
Aloe ruvuensis
Aloe sakarahensis
Aloe saudiarabica
Aloe scabrifolia
Aloe schelpei
Aloe schoelleri
Aloe schoenlandii
Aloe schomeri
Aloe scobinifolia
Aloe scorpioides
Aloe secundiflora
Aloe seretii
Aloe serriyensis
Aloe shadensis
Aloe silicicola
Aloe venenosa
Aloe verecunda
Aloe versicolor
Aloe viguieri
Aloe viridiflora
Aloe vituensis
Aloe vogtsii
Aloe volkensii
Aloe vossii
Aloe werneri
Aloe whitcombei
Aloe wickensii
Aloe wilsonii
Aloe woodii
Aloe wrefordii
Please contact us.
Feel free to contact us with your questions via the form below. You can also send an email to info@aloe.se or call us on 031-40 72 50 (weekdays 9-16).