Succulents are not like ordinary flowers or plants. If you have any type of succulents in your home or garden then you also know about their unique features that differentiate them from regular plants. The succulents have the unique ability to store water without causing water logging.
Mostly these succulents look very small at first glance, but after given enough time for growth and nourishment they can grow very tall. This is the most famous species of succulents known as cacti. Other includes herbs such as Aloes, Oleanders, Agaves, Yuccas, Gasterias, Magueyes, and many others.
Aloe vera is a very popular succulent that is known for the beauty of its leaves. It has distinctively long and spiky green-colored leaves. If you are providing the aloe vera right conditions for growth, there is a possibility that aloe vera keep growing throughout the year. Moreover, they also expand their size as well.
On the other hand, the aloe vera plant also has many benefits also. These plants are used as antimicrobial plants. Used for burnt and acne skin treatment. Hence with a beautiful appearance, these plants have many other benefits too.
But there are many other species that are mistaken for aloe vera but aren’t. In this article, we will discuss all those succulents that look like aloe vera but are not!
Succulents plants that look like aloe vera
There are many species of succulents that look like aloe vera but are not. Aloe vera is a very distinct species used for many beneficial purposes. Aloe vera has the ability to heal burnt skin and sunburn.
Here are some common succulents that look like aloe vera agave plant, yucca, haworthia, gasteria, and maguey. These succulents have rosette leaves that grow around the stem and make them different from aloe. You can grow these plants as a substitute for aloe as they have similar growing needs.
Let’s have a look at them!
Agave
This succulent resembles the aloe plant most. But agave is native to arid regions of America, including the Southwest US. But the aloe plants are native to Africa.
This is a succulent plant and you can find this plant in many colors. However, aloe plants cannot be found in different colors. All the species have a distinct color and remain always the same. Agave plants grow just like aloe and they have pointed leaves at the tips, quite similar to the aloe succulent.
Aloe succulents have the feature of protecting themselves from heat and cold. In the same way, agave succulents have a hard surface texture that protects them from hot and cold environments.
Some common features of agave plant:
- Agave leaves from the base of their rosette.
- Their leaves are arranged in circular rows around the rosette.
- Agave leaves have two points that are opposite to each other, giving a saw appearance.
As you have seen aloe plants that can grow up to a few feet tall. On the other hand, agaves succulents can grow very tall up to 1 to 20 feet.
Gasteria
It is a succulent that has thick and fleshy leaves. They often produce spiky leaves similar to aloe vera having holes in them which give the appearance of aloe plants. Gasteria plants are usually white and pink with 50 petals on each.
Their spiky leaves are also arranged in a rosette. Gasterai leaves have a rough texture with patterned markings of color depending on the species. These succulents are sometimes called ex tongue due to their long and rough texture of leaves.
Gasteria succulents become mature in the winter and spring seasons and make their beautiful flowers that are curved and tubular. That’s why their bloom is quite similar to aloe plants and can be used as indoor house plants. This succulent is native to South Africa where they thrive in the areas of shade.
Yucca
These succulents look more like aloe plants in comparison with other plants. They are perennial succulents that have long leaves growing from the base of the spiky stem. Yucca succulents also have a rosette of leaves that are tough and look like sword shapes. Their flowers are whitish in colors and here they are differentiated from aloe as they have white but aloe has green color leaves.
The yucca leaves and plants are usually covered with bark, but other succulents have no bark and are covered with spines and scales.
If you live in such a climate where water is not available or it is a dry area, then yucca succulents have the ability to live in arid regions with very little water availability.
There are some features of yucca which make it quite a similar wit aloe vera plants. The general texture of their leaves with the smooth areas along the sides and edges of leaves make resemblance with the aloe vera plants that are found on their bottom.
Haworthia
It is another succulent that looks like an aloe vera plant. It is quite easy to grow indoors because the light and watering requirements are quite easy to meet. In appearance, they quite look like aloe vera plants except for their distinctive leaves.
Haworthia leaves are thicker and fleshier than the aloe vera plants. They also grow in a rosette manner along the stem axis. Their leaves have a white-colored band appearance that is raised on the surface that’s why haworthia plants look like zebra plants.
They are quite easy to grow indoors as they can withstand neglect and water shortage. They can survive for weeks without water. This succulent look very fascinating in the pot or soil mixtures.
Maguey
Maguey succulents have thorny edges on the leaves that’s why have a quite resemblance to cactus. Most people think it is aloe vera due to its resemblance to cactus plants. This is an awesome succulent for west-facing windows indoors due to its low light requirements.
This succulent also has some resemblance with agave plants as they can grow up to 20 feet tall depending upon their species. Hence it resembles many species altogether.
Their leaves resemble aloe vera plants due to their long and broad leaves. The growing season is summer(unlike aloe which is late winter). They have most of the white and pink petals that resemble most of the other succulents growing at that time. Maguey succulents are monocarpic means that they will grow once in their lifetime.
Aloe vera is the best succulent plant
The aloe vera is considered the best succulent as compared to other succulents. It usually does not resemble other succulents not only in appearance but also in benefits. Aloe plants have a lot of advantages for human skin. It is helpful to heal burnt skin and skin acne. Aloe vera plants are very famous for their use in medicine for thousands of years.
- Aloe vera plant is an antimicrobial plant that is used to kill microorganisms. That’s why it is quite popular for use in skin care products.
- Its inflammatory properties cause the reduction of pertussis symptoms on the patient’s skin due to its juices residues.
One Last Thing!
There are many succulents that have great resemblance with aloe vera plants and serve as great alternatives. Aloe vera plants are famous for their magical features and properties. It is using since a thousand years ago in medicines and skin care products. But nowadays there are many other succulents are available that make it easy to have a plant like an aloe vera in the home.
I hope this article will be useful for you and have the answer to your question. Do share with your friends and fellows as it will be granted to them.
Must read another article regarding the use of succulents soil or cactus soil for other plants
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