Succulent shrub or small tree up to 3(–9) m tall; stem solitary or clustered, up to 30 cm in diameter, simple or branching from above the base, with persistent dead leaves. Leaves in a rosette, erect, later spreading and recurved; stipules absent; petiole absent; blade narrowly lanceolate, up to 1 m × 10 cm, margin with forward pointing, brown-tipped teeth 2–4 mm long, 1–2.5 cm mm apart, blade dull olive-green; exudate yellow, drying red. Inflorescence consisting of head-like racemes c. 8 cm long, becoming cylindrical-conical; peduncle 50–60(–85) cm long, with 8 or more spreading branches, lowest with secondary branches; bracts broadly ovate, 2–5 mm long. Flowers bisexual, regular, 3-merous; pedicel 1–1.5 cm long; perianth tubular, 2.5–3.5 cm long, 6–8 mm in diameter, lobes 6, 12–17 mm long, red with yellow tips; stamens 6, exserted; ovary superior, 3-celled, style filiform, stigma head-shaped, exserted. Fruit an ovoid capsule c. 3 cm × 1.5 cm, dehiscing loculicidally, many-seeded. Seeds c. 9 mm long, broadly winged.

Purgative (leaves)

PROTAbase: Aloe volkensii

The leaf sap is applied to burns, wounds and sores and as a lotion to eyes. The bitter exudate is applied to nipples to wean children and is rubbed on the forehead to treat headache. The leaf sap is taken to expel a retained placenta.