cover image

Aloe vera

Species of plant / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short, summarize this topic like I'm... Ten years old or a College student

Aloe vera (/ˈæloʊ(i) vɛrə, vɪər-/)[3] is a succulent plant species of the genus Aloe.[4] It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions.[4][5]

Quick facts: Aloe vera, Scientific classification , Binomi... ▼
Aloe vera
Plant with flower detail inset
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Genus: Aloe
Species:
A. vera
Binomial name
Aloe vera
Synonyms[1][2]
  • Aloe barbadensis Mill.
  • Aloe barbadensis var. chinensis Haw.
  • Aloe chinensis (Haw.) Baker
  • Aloe elongata Murray
  • Aloe flava Pers.
  • Aloe indica Royle
  • Aloe lanzae Tod.
  • Aloe maculata Forssk. (illegitimate)
  • Aloe perfoliata var. vera L.
  • Aloe rubescens DC.
  • Aloe variegata Forssk. (illegitimate)
  • Aloe vera Mill. (illegitimate)
  • Aloe vera var. chinensis (Haw.) A. Berger
  • Aloe vera var. lanzae Baker
  • Aloe vera var. littoralis J.Koenig ex Baker
  • Aloe vulgaris Lam.
Close ▲

An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but grows wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates around the world.[4] It is cultivated for commercial products, mainly as a topical treatment used over centuries.[4][5] The species is attractive for decorative purposes, and succeeds indoors as a potted plant.[6]

It is used in many consumer products, including beverages, skin lotion, cosmetics, ointments or in the form of gel for minor burns and sunburns. There is little clinical evidence for the effectiveness or safety of Aloe vera extract as a cosmetic or topical drug,[5][7] and oral ingestion has risk of toxicity.[5][8]