Aloe vera , meaning true aloe, was spread throughout the Mediterranean region by man, so it is difficult to discern where it originated. Some have thought it native to the Canary Islands. Its closest relatives, however, occur in Arabia, and this is its most probable area of origin. It can be found there today, on the lower slopes of the coastal mountains. Aloe vera is a large, stemless rosette succulent.
Younger leaves have pale spots.
The plant will slowly offset to form a clump. Only large plants flower. The unbranched flower spike carries yellow, tubular flowers. In cultivation in California, hummingbirds visit these. This latter plant is almost certainly a hybrid, according to Bryan Kemble.