Most botanists agree, and historical evidence suggests, that the Aloe Vera plant originated in the warm, dry climates of Africa. There are over 240 different species of Aloe, growing mainly in the dry regions of Africa, Asia, Europe and America. In the United States, it is grown commercially in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, in California and Florida, and in specially-designed greenhouses in Oklahoma. Although Aloe Vera is a tropical plant, the root can survive freezing air temperatures, so long as the ground is not frozen and the root destroyed.