Medicine plant, Barbados aloe
Aloe barbadensis

Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae

What it is like

A succulent plant. It forms a rosette of upright leaves. It grows 20 cm wide. Leaves are dull green. They are 5 cm wide. The flowers are yellow. They occur in an un-branched spike 1 m tall.

There are about 400 Aloe species. Also put in the family Aloaceae. Also put in the family Asphodelaceae.

Where it is found

It will tolerate light frost.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa (country/location of origin), Asia, Australia, Bolivia, Central America, China, East Africa, Ethiopia, Himalayas, India, Saudi Arabia, West Indies, Zambia

How it is used for food

The leaf paste is used to increase the bulk of flour. They are cooked and washed several times. The leaves and flower stalks are pickled.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Leaves, flower stalks

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed. It is mostly grown from offsets.

Its other names

Local names

Chinnakata banda, Chirukattali, Chothukathalai, Curacao aloe, Ghee-kunvar, Ghikumar, Ghrita-kumari, Ghritkumari, Guarpatha, Gwar-patha, Korphad, Kumari, Kumarpathu, Loli-sara

Synonyms

See Aloe vera part;