Aloe Vera Plant Care

The Aloe Vera plant makes a fascinating houseplant. As well as being very easy to care for, it yields some surprising health benefits.

The aloe vera plant is a short-stemmed succulent perennial, which grows 60-85 cm tall. It has thick spiky green leaves which grow in a rosette formation from the base of the plant. Found predominantly in hot, dry climates, the aloe looks a lot like a cactus, although it's actually a member of the lily and onion family.

The aloe vera plant usually produces about 25 leaves, which can be up to 15" long and 3" wide. As a succulent, these fleshy leaves contain the water supply for the plant, so it can survive long periods of drought. It is now widely cultivated in the US, Mexico and the Caribbean for its natural benefits, which are hidden within the leaves. There are over 200 different species of aloe, although the aloe plant with the most benefits has been found to be Aloe Vera - or 'true aloe' - otherwise known as Aloe Barbadensis Miller.

The good news is that the aloe vera plant is simple to look after, either indoors or outdoors, as long as it won't be exposed to frost or freezing temperatures. The aloe plants love lots of sunshine, so a light-filled window, or sunny part of your garden would be ideal. However, they don't need a lot of water. One of the easiest ways to kill your aloe vera plant is by over-watering. Remember they are desert plants, and can get by with less water than the other plants in your home.

You can buy aloe vera plants at most plant stores and nurseries. Be sure the pot has good drainage and don't water it too often: overwatering aloe vera plants may cause the spongy leaves to rot at the base of the plant. And do allow container grown plants to dry out before you re-water. The plants often become dormant in winter. Small plants often have white marks on the leaf which disappear as the plant grows.

Aloes like to have some room to grow, so do re-pot them as necessary. Expect that a mature aloe vera plant (about 4 years old) maybe about one metre high and 50cm across the widest part of the leaves. But the pot won't have to be that large, because the stem and root system is quite shallow. If the outer leaves start to sag or show their age, they can be sliced off, or gently pulled away from the stem.

As the aloe vera plant matures, it produces offshoots, or 'pups' around the main stem. Although they look very pretty, you should remove these as soon as they get large enough to replant on their own. If you don't they may well suck the life right out of the main plant! Doing this also helps keep the plant growing upwards, rather than outwards. The pups do make lovely presents for family and friends.

Aloe vera plants provide a welcome addition to your home or garden, as well as a focal point. They are hardy, easy to care for, and also give you the benefit of having pure aloe vera gel at hand constantly. If you ever want to use this aloe vera gel, simply remove one of the larger, lower leaves and cut it lengthways to expose the clear inner gel. Then apply this gel to any cut, burn or graze and be amazed at how fast it heals!

Article Source: http://www.articlemonk.com

Jo Johansson enjoys writing and exploring all things related to natural health and nutrition. For further information on pure aloe vera products, check out AloeandYou.com.

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated