Aloe hereroensis is a perennial, leaf succulent that grows in single erect rosettes, or suckers to form small groups of plants, 30-50 cm tall excluding inflorescence. The yellow, orange, scarlet or red flowers are in dense heads which terminate in a dense hairy tuft of over-lapping bracts. The yellow-flowered form is known as var. lutea and occurs in Namibia. The erect nature of the buds and spreading-pendulous habit of the open flowers is very marked in this species.
Derivation of specific name: The epithet hereroensis refers to the presence of the species in the regions inhabited by the Hereros people.
Stem: Aloe hereroensisis is almost stemless but as ages, it may develop a short erect stem (occasionally up to 1 metre tall).
Leaves: Densely rosulate (about 30 per rosette), lanceolate-deltoid, erect and curving inwards, 25-32(-40) cm long, 3.5-8.5(-9) cm wide at the base, narrowed gradually to the apex, shallowly channelled to D-shaped in section, grey-green, dark blue-green very glaucous or often rose-coloured or bronzed in the sun, obscurely lineate to sulcate, and usually without spots on the upper surface, with few to many H-shaped whitish spots scattered or arranged in transverse bands on the lower surface. Margins cartilaginous with pungent deltoid red-brown teeth 3–4 mm long. Marginal teeth not crowded, spreading, 8–12 mm apart.
Derivation of specific name: The epithet hereroensis refers to the presence of the species in the regions inhabited by the Hereros people.
Stem: Aloe hereroensisis is almost stemless but as ages, it may develop a short erect stem (occasionally up to 1 metre tall).
Leaves: Densely rosulate (about 30 per rosette), lanceolate-deltoid, erect and curving inwards, 25-32(-40) cm long, 3.5-8.5(-9) cm wide at the base, narrowed gradually to the apex, shallowly channelled to D-shaped in section, grey-green, dark blue-green very glaucous or often rose-coloured or bronzed in the sun, obscurely lineate to sulcate, and usually without spots on the upper surface, with few to many H-shaped whitish spots scattered or arranged in transverse bands on the lower surface. Margins cartilaginous with pungent deltoid red-brown teeth 3–4 mm long. Marginal teeth not crowded, spreading, 8–12 mm apart.