Aloe Vera: The Plant You Buy for Sunburns and Keep for Life
The sun-loving, drought-tolerant succulent that soothes burns and forgives neglect. Bright light, gritty soil, and infrequent deep watering are all it needs.
Aloe vera is the friend who is low-maintenance, useful in a crisis, and happy to sit in a corner and be ignored for weeks. Snap off a leaf and the gel inside soothes minor burns and scrapes; leave the plant alone and it will quietly produce baby plants (“pups”) so you can share it with everyone you know.
Where to put it (light)
Bright light, including several hours of direct sun. A south- or west-facing windowsill is ideal. In low light it stretches, flops, and loses its plump, upright shape. If you only have a dim spot, a grow light works fine.
Temperature
Loves warmth: 55–80°F (13–27°C) is comfortable, and it shrugs off summer heat well beyond that. It will not tolerate frost; keep it above 40°F (4°C).
Watering
This is where people go wrong. Aloe stores water in its leaves, so water deeply but infrequently. Let the soil dry out completely between waterings, roughly every 2–3 weeks in summer and monthly (or less) in winter. Overwatering causes mushy, brown, collapsing leaves and rot.
Feeding
Barely any. A half-strength succulent or balanced fertilizer once or twice a year in spring/summer is plenty.
Soil
Cactus/succulent mix with excellent drainage. If you only have regular potting soil, cut it with perlite, pumice, or coarse sand. Use a pot with a drainage hole. This is non-negotiable.
Humidity
Prefers dry air. Average or low household humidity is perfect. Don’t mist it.
Common pests
Mealybugs (look for white fluff at the leaf bases), scale, and occasionally fungus gnats if the soil stays wet. Dab mealybugs with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab.
Propagation
Difficulty: Very easy. Pups. Wait until offsets at the base are 3–4 inches (8–10 cm) tall, unpot the parent, separate a pup with some roots attached, let the cut dry for a day, then plant in dry succulent mix and wait a week before watering. Leaf cuttings usually rot.
Also worth knowing
Toxicity: toxic to cats and dogs if chewed (the gel is fine on human skin). Mature size: 1–2 ft (30–60 cm). Repot every 2–3 years, or whenever pups crowd the pot. Harvest outer leaves at the base for gel.
Give it sun, forget to water it, and aloe vera will be the most reliable roommate you’ve ever had.