One of the most common, and useful, houseplants is aloe vera. This succulent sits on the kitchen windowsill of many homes, just waiting to answer a 911 call when minor kitchen burns, sunburns or ...

The soap aloe is just one of those plants that stir up a passion in gardeners and plant aficionados across the country. It’s known botanically as Aloe maculata, and at first glance, you would swear it ...

The soap aloe is just one of those plants that stir up a passion in gardeners and plant aficionados across the country. It's known botanically as Aloe maculata and at first glance, you would swear it ...

Brian Kemble is curator at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek. His monthly column focuses on drought tolerant plants and dry gardens. When the genus Aloe is mentioned, many people think ...