Aloe Vera
Aloe vera
A succulent that wants real sun, not a shady windowsill. Give it the brightest spot you have and it asks for almost nothing else.
Photo: Tristan Gevaux / Unsplash What this plant actually wants.
Best window: South-facing, as close to direct sun as your home allows.
This is the general recommendation. When you map your actual windows in Planterra, the app compares each one against this plant's lux range and tells you which of your specific spots are best - accounting for depth from the glass, obstructions, and how the light shifts by season.
What usually goes wrong.
Soft, mushy leaves
Overwatering. Treat it like a desert succulent - let the soil dry out completely, and use a pot with drainage plus a gritty, fast-draining soil mix.
Thin, curling leaves
Not enough light. Aloe stores water in plump leaves only when it's getting real brightness - move it to your sunniest window.
Brown, scorched patches
Sudden sun exposure after living in lower light. Introduce direct sun gradually over a week or two rather than moving it outdoors all at once.
Leggy, stretched growth
A clear sign it needs more light. Aloe grown in too little light stretches toward the nearest window instead of growing compactly.
Aloe Vera is the plant I have to talk people out of watering. If a patient card shows watering more than once every two weeks, that's usually the entire diagnosis before I even see a photo.
Add this plant to Planterra.
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