Aloe vera is similar to the shape of agave, so people often confuse them. The agave is toxic. If you mistakenly treat the poisonous agave as aloe vera with beauty and therapy value, it may cause some bad consequences.

The common point of aloe vera and agave is that they belong to perennial evergreen multi-fleshy plants with short stems and thorns on the edges and tops. There are also many differences between them, as long as they know that they are different, it is not difficult to distinguish.

Aloe vera and agave are two types of drought-resistant and fleshy with similar appearance and maintenance methods. The reason why it appears is that both are adapted to hot and dry climates. However, aloe and agave are not inherently closely connected, and their origin is in the southern hemisphere and the northern hemisphere, respectively.

Different origins

Aloe is a plant with a long history. It was originally grown in southern Sahara Africa, Saudi Arabia and Madagascar. Although aloe is very common in the wild in the southwestern United States, they are used as introducing species rather than local species.

On the other hand, there is no history of planting in agar. They originated in Mexico and southwest of the United States, and now they are distributed to deserts and grasslands in northern South America.

Bloom differently

The agave is rarely blooming. The petals are usually white and there are light yellow. Its inflorescence is very tall.

The inflorescence of the aloe is not very high. The flowers are very dense. It is orange-yellow petals, and there are spots. The calyx is green.

Different maintenance methods

Although aloe vera and agave are drought-resistant plants, their maintenance methods are different. Aloe vera usually needs to maintain the humidity of the soil, but do not allow them to be in dampness for a long time, otherwise, it is easy to cause root rot.

The agave can tolerate long-term drought, but it is necessary to keep ventilation and sufficient sunlight to prevent the leaves from turning yellow or thin plants.

Different planting methods

Aloe can be reproduced by split or leaf insertions, while agave is usually breeds through seeds. In addition, aloe needs to choose soils with good breathability and good drainage when planting, while the agave is required to use the planting substrate rich in sand and rotten leaf soil.

Different nutritional components

Aloe is a plant rich in nutrients, including vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, B6, and B6, folic acid, and minerals such as calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and potassium.

The agave has not been proven to have any nutritional value. Its toxicity is also a warning effect, reminding people not to eat unknown plants at will.

Different use

Aloe vera is often used in beauty and medicinal medicine. The yellow juice in its leaves can help treat skin problems, anti-inflammatory pain, and regulate the stomach and the stomach. The alcoholic content of linked alcohol is very high, and the toxicity is also very strong, so it is not suitable for consumption or used as a drug.

In short, although aloe and agave are similar in appearance, there are differences in their origin, flowering, nutritional ingredients and uses. Therefore, we need to be cautious when identifying and using it to avoid adverse consequences.