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8 Plants That Look Like Aloe Vera But Aren’t (With Images)

Unlike other succulents, aloe has large, fleshy leaves folded together into a dense rosette, making it easy to find.

With over 300 species of aloe available, many can be grown in the comfort of your own home.

Some plants have a similar appearance to aloe, with a dense rosette of succulent, fleshy leaves that are elongated. A few of the best-known examples include Agave, Hechtia, Bergeranthus, Ariocarpus, Faucaria, Gasteria, and Haworthia. Agave is asparagus and grows in Central, North, and Mexico. It has a rosette of large, fleshy leaves.

Aloe vera is famous among houseplant enthusiasts because many of its species are highly decorative.

Aloe vera is closely related to a few other plants, but they have a different names. The article will explain these plants and how they compare to aloe.

Description of Aloe Vera Plant Appearance

Aloe is a perennial plant that can grow to a height of up to 13 feet (4m). It has taprooted and branched roots. The stem is straight, branched, and covered with alternately-placed leaves. 

They’re a pale shade of greenish-blue, with a smooth, matte finish. Aloe has a succulent base that is linear-lanceolate in shape and pointed at the ends, like a pencil. They have spiky-toothed edges.

Here are eight plants that look a lot like aloe vera.

[1] Agave

Potted Agave

Agave is a stemless perennial member of the asparagus family native to Mexico and North and Central America. 

Agave leaves are large and fleshy and can be broadened or narrowed to form a dense root rosette. 

In the end, there is a sharp point. Most species have straight or bent spines on their edges.

Agave leaves can be gray, green, or blue-green in color. Leaves of some agave species have yellow or silvery-white stripes that look like threads. A rich waxy patina coats the leaf plate’s surface.

Depending on conditions, the agave blooms about once every ten to fifteen years in the wild. 

Agave Flower

A spikey or paniculate inflorescence with numerous yellowish flowers arises from a tall flower stalk. 

Immediately afterward flowering, the plant begins to show signs of aging and eventually dies.

[2] Hechtia

Hechtia plant
Hechtia

Hechtia is a type of terrestrial bromeliad that is closely related to succulents. Hechtia is native to Central America and Mexico. Hechtia texensis resembles aloe vera. 

It has long, fleshy, pointed, stiff, emarginate at the edge, sparse prickles on its leaves. The leaves grow into a dense, dense rosette about 1.60 feet (50cm) across.

Small white, greenish, pink, or maroon-red flowers are arranged in spikelets on Hechtia plants.

[3] Bergeranthus

Bergeranthus
Bergeranthus

There aren’t many people who know about Bergeranthus; it’s primarily only known by succulent experts and enthusiasts. 

Bergeranthus is a native of South Africa. Succulents like this one can grow to enormous lengths in their natural habitats.

Two of the plant’s 12 species are grown indoors:

Multiceps bergeranthus: Its leaves are arranged in rosette-like clusters of up to ten pieces each, tightly packed together. 

The shape of the leaves is a 2.5 inches (6 cm) long trihedral prism with a pointed end. The plant bears yellow, solitary flowers measuring 1 inch (3 cm) in diameter.

Bergeranthus scapiger: The leaves are a deep, rich green. Uniform in color A length of 10 centimeters or so, with a broad base and tapered ends. 

The leaf has serrations on the outside edge of leaf. The cactus-like flowers have long peduncles and are an orange-yellow color.

[4] Ariocarpus

Ariocarpus with Flower
Ariocarpus with Flower

Ariocarpus is a type of cactus with aloe-like leaves. The plant is primarily found in Mexico, where it thrives during the rainy season and hides in the soil during dry spells. Its unusual appearance sets it apart from other cacti.

Ariocarpus is a thornless cactus. A thick layer of warty tubercles and protrusions covers the fleshy triangle-shaped leaves. 

Ariocarpus is known for its large red, white, or yellow flowers and its reptilian-like leaf surface. Unfortunately, flowers rarely bloom indoors.

[5] Faucaria

Leaves of the Faucaria Succulent Plant
Leaves of the Faucaria Succulent Plant

An indigenous South African succulent, Faucaria is a member of the Asiatic family. The name derives from fauces, which means “animal mouth.”

When you look closely at its leaves, you can see sharp, white outgrowths that resemble teeth, hence the name. 

The leaves form a rosette shape when gathered together. Three to six-leaf pairs grow crosswise in each rosette.

Faucaria bears single, 2-3 inches (6-7 cm) diameter flowers in spikes. The yellow petals of the flowers have a variety of hues. The flowers are only open during the daytime. 

Faucaria with Yellow Flower
Faucaria with Yellow Flower

They fold their petals into a bud at night and keep them there until morning. Each flower lasts about a week on the plant.

[6] Haworthia

Haworthia
Haworthia

In the South African steppes and deserts, an excellent plant called Haworthia. 

Leaf appearance and color vary significantly among the 150 or so species of Hawortia, including convex wart-like warts, blunt and fleshy leaves covered in spines, and yellow and silver striped leaves.

There are up to 11 inches (30cm) of rosette-shaped leaves on the plant. The leaves grow in a dense mass. 

Haworthia resembles an aloe or a miniature agave in shape and appearance. If you grow it at home, you’ll hardly ever see it bloom.

[7] Gasteria

Gasteria
Gasteria

Gasteria is a South African desert succulent of the Asphodelaceae family. Its small, waxy-looking leaves have short, fleshy margins and are a deep shade of dark green. 

The leaves are covered in brown or silver streaks. The leaves of some species are covered in white speckles.

Gasteria 'Ox tongue' in Bloom
Gasteria ‘Ox tongue’ in Bloom

Flower colors include pink, orange, white, and red with a 0.5-1 inch (2 to 3 cm) diameter. An oblong flower stalk holds the clusters of flowers gathered into brushes or panicles.

[8] Sansevieria or Snake Plant

Sansevieria Cylindrica
Sansevieria Cylindrica

Sansevieria is a plant that doesn’t have any branches. It comes from the Asparagaceae family and is native to Africa, India, Indonesia, and other Asian countries.

Another popular houseplant is the snake plant, also known as mother-in-tongue. law’s

The succulent, dark green, lance-shaped leaves of the Sansevieria plant form a dense, dense rosette when grown in a container or pot. 

The robust leaves can reach a height of up to 4 feet (120 cm). Depending on how the plant was bred, the darker stripes and borders on the leaves can vary greatly.

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