Aloe vera is blooming now. Here’s what to know about its varieties

As this is the time of year when Aloe vera is in bloom, the story of how this plant arrived in our hemisphere is worth telling.

Native to the rocky soil of the southern Arabian Peninsula — Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman today — Aloe vera arrived in Europe courtesy of Arab traders. It grew well in Mediterranean countries due to its minimal water requirement; since in its native lands, annual rainfall does not exceed 10 inches a year and is often as little as three inches. Aloe vera grows especially well on the Canary Islands...