Aloes have adapted to habitats with low water availability.  Aloes adapt to this by using their tissue to store large volumes of water.  Aloe vera has thick and fleshy leaves, which are enlarged to accommodate the aqueous tissue.  The leaf cuticle is thick and covered with a layer of wax.

Aloes are also able to utilize crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), which is an adaptation to the photosynthetic pathway in hot climates that involves the formation of malic acid.

Carbohydrates synthesized in  excess of that needed for energy are transported by the phloem to the cells in the leaf pulp.  The Aloe vera gel in the leaf pulp serves as the water and energy storage component of the plant.