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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Aloeaceae (now Asphodeloideae) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Orange |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Synonyms: [Aloe officinalis, A. indica, Hort.] |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
| May be Poisonous (More Info): Yes |
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Aloe vera var. chinensis (Medicinal Aloe) - A small clustering rosette-forming succulent to 18 inches tall with spotted upright mid-green lance-shaped leaves that have soft whitish teeth and pale orange flowers in spring and summer. Plant in full coastal sun or light shade with occasional to little irrigation. Hardy to 20-25 degrees F. This is the name associated with the common grocery store variety of Medicinal Aloe that became popular in the nursery trade because its suckering nature made it easy to rapidly propagate large numbers. It is somewhat similar to what is considered the "true" Aloe vera, which is more solitary with longer leaves lacking the white spots and has yellow flowers but there has long been debate on this subject. Current thought is that this plant maybe a hybrid or form of Aloe officinalis – it has also gone under the invalid name Aloe indica. Both plants are useful for medicinal purposes but the true yellow flowering species is a far better landscape plant. The specific epithet itself adds interestingly to this story as it is the Latin word meaning "true" or "genuine". This name was given to this plant in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus when he first named it as Aloe perfoliata var. vera and this name was raised to the specific level in 1768 by Nicolaas Laurens Burman. It has also been called Aloe barbadensis and common names include Chinese Aloe, Indian Aloe, True Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Burn Aloe and First Aid Plant.
This information about Aloe vera var. chinensis displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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