Common Name:

General Information

Aloe greatheadii is an evergreen, succulent plant forming a compact rosette of spreading leaves that can be up to 40cm long and 12cm wide at their base. The plant can be stemless, or with a stout stem up to 30cm long, it often suckers to form small clumps of plants[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. The plant is seen as an indicator of overgrazed land, and can be used in land reclamation projects[].

Known Hazards

The sap of Aloe species contains anthraquinones. These compounds have several beneficial medicinal actions, particularly as a laxative, and many species of Aloe are thus employed in traditional medicine. Whilst safe in small doses and for short periods of time, anthraquinones do have potential problems if used in excess. These include congestion and irritation of the pelvic organs[]. Long term use of anthraquinone laxatives may also play a role in development of colorectal cancer as they have genotoxic potential, and tumorigenic potential[].

Botanical References

Range

Southern Africa - Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, S. Africa.

Habitat

Stony grassland and open Brachystegia woodland at elevations from 1,000 - 1,500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.20 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Sunbirds, Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of drier areas in the tropics and subtropics, where it can be found at elevations from 1,000 - 1,500 metres.
Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil[].
Aloe species follow the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). CAM plants can fix carbon dioxide at night and photosynthesize with closed stomata during the day, thus minimizing water loss. This, plus their succulent leaves and stems, and the presence of a thick cuticle, makes them well adapted to dry conditions[].

Edible Uses

Flower buds - cooked[]. Considered a delicacy, though they need to be cooked in 3 changes of water[, ]. The buds are often flavoured with the dried leaves of cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) and pumpkins (Cucurbita spp)[].

Medicinal

An infusion or decoction of the leaves is drunk to treat gonorrhoea[]. An infusion of the leaves is used as a malaria prophylactic and is taken as a purgative and put in drinking water of poultry to cure diseases[].
The leaf sap is used as eye drops to cure chronic conjunctivitis[]. The leaf sap is applied externally to bruises, burns and skin irritations. Leaf pulp is used to treat snakebites[].

The distinctive constituents in Aloe leaves are phenolic compounds, including chromone, anthraquinone or anthrone derivatives. Some of the compounds are found in many species, whereas others occur in only a few[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Large concentrated populations of the plant are an indication of overgrazing[].
Seedlings are planted in land reclamation trials; they need partial shade for survival[].
Trails have shown that this species can be used successfully as a soil binder in disturbed areas such as mine dumps[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - we have no specific information on this species - in general Aloes are sown in a sandy, well-drained potting soil in a warm, shady position in standard seed trays. Germination takes about three weeks. Cover the seed with a thin layer of sand (1 - 2mm), keep moist. The seedlings can be planted out in individual bags or containers as soon as they are large enough to handle[].

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