Aloe vera, an industrial crop whose gel is used in cosmetic production, is commonly cultivated on sandy plains of subtropical regions, and considered intolerant of low temperature. The present study reveals that A. vera introduced from Israeli deserts can be grown to a commercial size in the Golan Heights (350 a.s.l.; 32°54 N, 35°44 W), an area characterized by low winter temperature (minimum temperature -3°C lasting for several days) and basalt soils. The number and size of leaves, the pH and the antifungal activity of the leaf gel -- as an indication of gel quality -- were significantly similar to those of leaves from plants grown in a commercial farm in the Israeli deserts. In one of the two study sites the plants suffered slight winter injuries, as expressed by colour change of the epidermis and drying out of the upper parts of the leaves (15% of leaf length) of the outer whorl only. The recorded damage occurred in gel-poor parts of the leaf and was responsible for about 5% loss in gel production. Plants reached commercial size when grown in non-sandy substrates: rapidly drained (tuff) and slowly drained (local basalt soil), but leaves of plants grown in tuff were significantly larger than those of the ones grown in basalt soil. The substrate nature did not affect the gel pH and its antifungal activity. It is suggested that A. vera can be cultivated as a crop under conditions other than subtropical climate and sandy soils.