Upper branches of Aloidendron barberae end in leaf rosettes at all stem-tips. Below that the stems are bare, no leaves retained in this species below the clusters of green ones at stem-tips.

Diminishing leaf size, foliage density and stem thickness occur with tree age and resource shortage.

Bark roughness varies, mainly associated with longitudinal fissuring from stem thickness growth (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Esterhuyse, et al, 2001).