Aloe, Gasteria, Haworthia & relatives · 3 genera covered
South African succulent genera that thrive in bright indirect to direct light with minimal water. The family covers a spectrum from the familiar and functional Aloe vera to the collector-focused window-leaved Haworthia. All three genera are non-toxic to cats and dogs, which makes them among the most practical choices for pet households that want architectural succulents. The care principle is consistent across the family: more light than most indoor positions provide, and far less water than most growers give.
Fleshy, lance-shaped, grey-green leaves with toothed margins in an upright rosette. The clear gel inside the leaves has genuine mild efficacy for minor burns and skin irritation, the most evidence-backed traditional plant remedy in common cultivation. Produces pups readily from the base and will eventually form a substantial clump. In bright light the leaves take on a reddish or brownish stress coloration that is normal and healthy.
Detailed CareMulti-stemmed, shrubby Aloe that develops into a substantial specimen with age. Narrower, more toothed leaves than vera, arranged in rosettes at the tips of branching stems. Produces vivid orange-red flower spikes in winter when given adequate light and cool temperatures. More vigorous and larger-growing than vera, eventually reaching 1-2m in a large container. One of the most dramatic architectural succulents for bright indoor spaces.
ToxicityCompact, triangular, dark green leaves with white horizontal banding arranged in a three-ranked rosette. One of the most graphically patterned Aloe species. The banding is precise and regular, unlike the more irregular marking of many succulents. Compact enough for windowsill growing. Produces pink-red flowers on a stem in good conditions. Slightly more shade-tolerant than most Aloe.
ToxicitySpreading, flat rosette with white-spotted, toothed leaves. Clusters freely to form a spreading colony. One of the more drought and cold-tolerant Aloe species. Produces orange-yellow flowers. The sap lathers in water, the source of the common name Soap Aloe. Very easy to grow and propagate.
ToxicityTongue-shaped, dark green leaves covered in white warty tubercles arranged initially in two ranks that spiral into a rosette with age. More shade-tolerant than Aloe or Haworthia. Non-toxic to pets. Produces tubular, stomach-shaped orange-pink flowers on a long stem in spring. Clusters over time. One of the best succulents for lower-light positions in pet households.
ToxicityCompact, two-ranked arrangement of tongue-shaped leaves with white spotting on a dark green ground. More compact than carinata. One of the smallest commonly available Gasteria, well suited to tight windowsill spaces. Produces the characteristic tubular flowers in spring. Clusters to form neat groups over time.
ToxicityA popular hybrid cultivar with mottled, marbled white and dark green patterning across the tongue-shaped leaves. More ornamental than the standard species. One of the most widely available Gasteria hybrids in the trade. Identical care to the species, drought-tolerant, shade-tolerant, and non-toxic.
ToxicityDark green, pointed leaves covered in raised white tubercles arranged in horizontal bands, the zebra pattern. One of the most widely sold succulents globally and one of the most forgiving. Tolerates lower light than most succulents without severe etiolation. Non-toxic to pets. Produces pups readily. Compact enough for any windowsill. A genuinely excellent beginner succulent.
ToxicitySimilar to attenuata but with smooth upper leaf surfaces. The white tubercles are confined to the underside only, creating clean white bands on the outer surface. Often confused with attenuata at retail. The smooth upper surface is the distinguishing feature. Care is identical. Slightly less commonly available than attenuata but equally forgiving.
ToxicityPlump, rounded, pale green leaves with translucent, glassy leaf tips. The transparent tips are windows, an adaptation that allows light to reach the interior of leaves that would be partially buried in their native habitat. The effect is of glass-bead-like leaves arranged in a dense cluster. More sensitive to direct sun than most Haworthia. The transparent tips scorch easily.
ToxicityThe most unusual growth form in common Haworthia cultivation. Leaves are arranged in two flat ranks and are cut off flat at the top. The truncated surface is a large translucent window. In its natural habitat the plant grows almost completely buried with only the window-surfaces exposed at ground level, gathering light while keeping the body of the leaf cool and protected. Indoors it grows above ground but the flat-topped, two-ranked form is unlike anything else in the genus. Slow growing. More sensitive to overwatering than most Haworthia.
ToxicityPale, translucent, boat-shaped leaves with fine line-patterning on the surface and a transparent tip area. One of the most shade-tolerant Haworthia and one of the most clustering. It forms substantial clumps over time. More compact and softer in appearance than attenuata. Produces small white flowers on tall stems.
Toxicity