These succulents that look like aloe vera are ideal for those who won’t mind trading the plant’s medicinal aspect for better aesthetics!
While you might come across many aloe-like plants, these succulents that look like aloe vera are specifically suited for those with hectic schedules or who are a bit forgetful about watering their plants!
SUCCULENTS THAT LOOK LIKE ALOE VERA
1. Agave
Botanical Name: Agave spp.
Native to the Americas, the Agave plant has spiky, fleshy leaves similar to those of aloe vera. This plant is more drought-resistant than aloe vera and also has a much longer lifespan, up to a hundred years. While it shares some medicinal uses with Aloe and produces a sweet nectar, once it blooms, it typically dies.
Nonetheless, with its beautiful rosette shape and all the benefits under its belt, the Agave sure could give the Aloe Vera a run for its price!
2. Ox Tongue Plant
Botanical Name: Helminthotheca echioides
The Ox Tongue plant features a rosette shape, much like Aloe Vera, but it’s the texture and mottling of its leaves that capture attention, resembling a cow’s tongue. This unique succulent from Southern Africa thrives in sunny spots and brings an Aloe-like aesthetic to any garden.
3. Bergeranthus
Botanical Name: Bergeranthus spp.
Bergeranthus plants might make you think of Aloe Vera due to their smooth leaves. However, they are smaller and ideal for rock or dish gardens, where they form colorful floral mats as well. Although they don’t offer Aloe’s utility, their visual aesthetics make up for it.
4. Ariocarpus
Botanical Name: Ariocarpus spp.
Resembling Aloe Vera in its compact shape, this succulent has dense clusters of thick, conical leaves with intricate patterns. However, unlike Aloe, these are built for extreme dryness, with thick leaves that store water, making them quite different from the super adaptable Aloe Vera.
5. Hechtia
Botanical Name: Hechtia spp.
Despite belonging to an entirely different genus, the Hechtia bears rosettes of green, spiky leaves just like Aloe. Its roots have medicinal benefits, and the plant is sometimes used as a source of food, too!
6. Tiger Jaws
Botanical Name: Faucaria tigrina
Tiger Jaws may share the spiky leaf trait with Aloe Vera, but its serrated, jaw-like leaf edges set it apart. This feature cleverly helps direct water to the plant’s base, showcasing both its functionality and fierce appearance.
7. Red Hot Poker Aloe
Botanical Name: Kniphofia uvaria
The Red Hot Poker Aloe may resemble Aloe Vera, but it’s more like a cousin than a sibling in the plant family. Its spiky leaves are reminiscent of Aloe Vera, but what really makes it stand out are its fiery flower spikes, resembling hot pokers. It prefers a bit of shade and needs plenty of moisture, making it a bit more demanding to care for. However, the colorful blooms it produces make the effort well worth it!
8. Saw Blade Plant
Botanical Name: Dyckia brevifolia
Saw Blade Plant, like Aloe Vera, has a lovely circular pattern, but its leaves are tougher and have saw-like edges, giving it a rugged charm. Unlike Aloe, this plant needs well-drained soil and protection from the cold, making it a fussier alternative.
9. Zebra Cactus
Botanical Name: Haworthiopsis attenuata
It’s like a distant cousin to Aloe Vera, sharing those cool, spiky leaves but with its own unique style. Instead of the long, straight leaves of Aloe, the Zebra cactus has shorter ones arranged in a fancy pattern. It’s a great option if you want something similar to Aloe Vera but with even less fuss.
10. Pineapple Plant
Botanical Name: Ananas comosus
Surprised to see pineapples on a list of plants similar to aloe vera? Well, the foliage of the pineapple plant is rather similar to that of aloe vera, with the trademark rosette shape. The leaves are smoother and broader, though. Where the aloe vera plant rewards your efforts with its beneficial gel, the pineapple plant will reward you with, well, pineapples—a tasty treat!
11. Boncel
The good-old, tough, slow-growing Boncel Snake plant is another cultivar that resembles Aloe Vera due to its rosette shape and upright, elongated leaves. Snake plants are much more flexible when it comes to light, surviving in low light to bright sun, although they certainly prefer indirect sunlight.
12. Dryland Bromeliads
Botanical Name: Bromeliaceae genera
Dryland Bromeliads, much like Aloe Vera, boast somewhat triangular leaves but are thicker and sturdier. Though both specimens prefer dry climates, they differ in their plant family—Bromeliads belong to the Bromeliaceae family.
13. American Century Plant
Botanical Name: Agave americana
The American Century Plant looks similar to Aloe Vera with its neat circular arrangement, but it’s much bigger and has tougher, bluish-green leaves with sharp edges. Unlike Aloe, this plant stands tall with its impressive flower stalks and prickly spines.
