Sand aloe (Aloe hereroensis) is an African aloe native to the rocky and sandy soils in dry areas of the Northern Cape and Free State in South Africa, north into Namibia and Angola. A 20-inch-wide, ground-hugging, medium-sized succulent, it usually has only a few rosettes in a clump. Its smooth, pale blue-green leaves curve upward and are flecked with white lines on the upper surface and "H"-shaped spots on the lower. The leaf margins are well-armed with small, dark, sharp spines. In mid-winter to early spring, its flowers bloom in flattened branched racemes that are wider than long. They vary in color from brownish-orange to pink and are broad at their base and narrow near the mouth. The sand aloe thrives in the sun in well-drained alkaline soil that must be irrigated carefully so as not to overwater. Aloe hereroensis received its name from the original collection location in northern Namibia, which was home to the Herero, a tribe in the Bantu group who live in Namibia, Botswana, and Angola. In the tribe's language, the common name for the plant is Sandaalwyn, which translates to "sand aloe."