With its spiny needles and its succulent leaves, it’s easy to make a few assumptions about the aloe plant – some of which may not actually be correct. You might be wondering, is aloe a cactus?
Aloe vera closely resembles a cactus but is actually a member of the Asphodelaceae family, not the cactus family, Cactaceae. However, both plants are succulents and share common traits, hence the confusion.
Are you curious about what exactly makes an aloe plant aloe, and what makes a cactus plant a cactus? Keep reading to learn more.
Is aloe a cactus?
Aloe vera is not a cactus. However, there are some common reasons why you might think this – and why these plants are often confused with each other.
For one, both types of plants are succulents. They are loosely related, but not necessarily plant “siblings”. Think of it this way – just as dogs and giraffes are both mammals, they really aren’t the same animal at all.
So why do people think that aloe is a type of cactus?
For one, aloe vera is a succulent. This is a category of plants that includes species with thick, fleshy tissues meant to store water. They tend to grow best in hot, dry climates for this reason. A cactus is also a succulent and so has a similar structure and appearance to an aloe vera plant.
Both aloe vera and cactus plants, being succulents, can hold water for long periods of time and withstand drought in a way that many other plants cannot.
Another feature shared by both kinds of plants is that aloe vera plants have leaves with spikes. These look like cactus spines – but upon closer examination, you’ll realize they are not technically the same.
Are aloe and cactus in the same family?
So what are the differences between aloe and cactus plants?
For one, aloe and cactus are not in the same plant family. The cactus group of plants belongs to the Cactaceae family while aloe is classified as the Asphodelaceae under the subfamily Asphodeloideae.
Aloe vera plants are evergreen perennials native to the Arabian Peninsula and found growing wild in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid climates worldwide. Cultivated for commercial products and topical treatments for centuries, this species includes multiple varieties and cultivars.
In fact, there are more than 500 species linked to the aloe family, including:
- Spider aloe
- Aloe rosii
- Lace aloe
- Tiger tooth aloe
- Torch aloe
- Tree aloe
and many, many more!
As for cactus plants, you’ll find even more varieties and species to choose from. There are more than 2,000 different kinds of cactus around the world. These plants are found just about everywhere in the world, though they are native to the Americas.
Examples of cactus species and varieties include:
- Christmas cactus
- Saguaro cactus
- Star cactus
- Easter cactus
- Barrel cactus
With so many different types of aloe and cactus plants, you could potentially grow, it’s easy to see why people get confused and wonder whether aloe is actually a cactus. Remember, though, that the two species are not one and the same – keep reading to learn more about the differences between the two below!
Do aloe vera plants have thorns?
Aloe vera plants are often confused with cacti because of their thorns and prickles. However, they aren’t technically spines like the ones you’d find on a cactus plant.
There are a few other cosmetic differences between the two types of plants, too.
For one, cactus plants have few to no leaves. Unlike other succulents, cacti also have modified buds known as areoles – these look like rounded indentations that appear along the stems. The spines poke out from these areoles.
Aloe vera plants, on the other hand, do have leaves. Although these are much more succulent and fleshy in appearance than what you might see on other types of plants, they are still leaves. Therefore, if you see leaves on a succulent plant and you aren’t sure what kind of plant it is, you can be pretty positive that it’s not a cactus.
In short, if it has leaves, it’s not a cactus – but if it has areoles, it probably is.
Are succulents and aloe the same thing?
Succulents and aloe are not the same things. Although aloe vera is a type of succulent plant it is certainly not the only one. Other types of succulents include plants like haworthia, euphorbia, and echeveria.
There are other succulent plants that are often confused for aloe vera, too. It’s not just cacti who are victims of misidentification here!
One example is an agave. Agave plants look much like aloe vera plants at first glance, and unlike cacti, they do have leaves.
The best way to tell these two plants apart is to break open a leaf. If you break open an aloe vera leaf, it will ooze a clear gel – after all, it is this medicinal gel that aloe vera is perhaps the most famous for!
An agave plant, on the other hand, has leaves that are much more fibrous. The leaves can store water – which is the case for the leaves of all succulents – but the leaves of an agave plant are usually shot through with stringy fibers instead of that telltale medicinal gel.
Final thoughts
Both cactus and aloe vera plants share common benefits. They can both have medicinal properties and are easy to grow indoors if you’re a novice gardener. Although there are many different species of cacti you can grow, for the most part, both aloe vera and cacti can be grown in the same kinds of conditions, too.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-care-for succulent, both aloe vera and cacti plants can be great choices. Consider the differences and similarities above as you make the decision about which plant is right for you!
