They are succulent plants with perennial, strong, and fibrous roots, and numerous, persistent, fleshy leaves proceeding from the upper part of the root which is narrow, tapering, thick, and very fleshy, beset at the edges with spiny teeth. The true aloes blooms the greater part of the year. It is supposed to bloom once in 100 years.
Aloes consist of the juices exuded from the transversely-cut bases of the leaves of various species.
If given to nursing mothers, it causes purging in the suckling infant. It acts particularly, on the lower bowel, the same as cascara. Aloes is one of the safest and best warm and stimulating purgatives to persons of sedentary habits and phlegmatic constitutions. An ordinary small dose takes from 15 to 18 hours to produce an effect. Too large doses induce piles.