Species Use Database

Aloe, Cape Aloe, Lucid Aloe
Aloe Ferox

Used for Medicine and hygiene in South Africa

A. Species

Scientific name: Aloe Ferox

Common name(s): Aloe, Cape Aloe, Lucid Aloe

Global IUCN Red List Threat Status:


B. Location of use

Geographic location(s):

  • South Africa

Country/Region:


C. Scale of assessment

Scale of assessment: National Level

Name/Details of location: South Africa


D. Timescale of use

Start Year: 2023

End Year: 2023


E. Information about the use

How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Type of use: Extractive

Practice of use: Gathering/Cutting/Collecting terrestrial plants and fungi or their products from the wild

Lethal or non-lethal: Non-Lethal

Does this use involve take/extraction of: Only parts or products of the organism

Purpose(s) of end use: Medicine and hygiene

Motivation of use: Income generation from trade (individual/household/community), Largescale commercial exploitation for trade and Traditional/Cultural/Spiritual

Is this use legal or illegal?: Legal under national law


F. Information about the Users

Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people, National / local private sector and International private sector


G. Information about the sustainability of use

Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined

Details of assessment carried out: Published literature

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The authors state that A. ferox tapping, which means removing leaves for bitters, doesn’t kill the plant and can provide steady income for local harvesters if done carefully and sustainably.

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: not recorded

Details of assessment carried out: Published literature

Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Aloe ferox products have been used to treat a variety of diseases, restore skin tissue due to their moisturising effect, and to alleviate pain associated with burns and wounds


Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species

More research is required on global sales, industrial uses and conservation of Aloe ferox.


Record source

Information about the record source: scientific_pub

Date of publication/issue/production: 2023-01-01T00:00:00+0000

Source Reference(s):

Goge, S., Singh, K., Komoreng, L.V. and Coopoosamy, R., 2023. A Systematic Review of Aloe Ferox: Ethnomedicinal, Industrial Efficacy and Conservation Status. Indilinga African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, 22(1), pp.55-71.

Date of record entry: 2025-07-23