Aloe globuligemma is an evergreen, stemless succulent perennial which forms dense colonies by freely spreading as suckers. The plant is made up of a rosette of succulent leaves, 400-600 mm tall, the leaves are triangular, upward-pointing, inwardly curved with recurved tips and they have toothed margins. The colour of the leaves is often influenced by its surroundings, in dry conditions they are greyish green. This succulent graces the garden with an elongated inflorescence, up to 1 m tall, in the winter season (July to August) that produces 5 to 12 horizontal to ascending branches that carry upturned, trumpet shaped, ombre flowers, 18-25 mm long. Each floweris dull red in bud and as it opens it changes to ivory yellow towards the mouth of the flower and eventually the whole flower is yellow. The flower contains orange anthers on dark purple stamens and a whitish stigma. The fruit is a capsule, 25 x 13 mm, that later splits to release the seeds.

Aloe globuligemma may be confused with Aloe chabaudii, but the leaves of the knoppiesaalwyn are more recurved and they are more greyish in colour.