How to Care for Aloe Vera Plants
by Jo Johansson
The Aloe Vera plant makes a great choice for growing at home. It's easy to look after, and has some interesting side benefits.
Many people think aloe vera is a cactus, but it's actually a cousin of the lily and onion family. It has a short stem, with thick spiky green leaves that grow out from the stem like the petals of a rose. It's known as a succulent perennial and usuallly grows to about 2 or 3 foot tall. It is usually found predominantly in hot, dry climates.
There are usually anywhere from 22 to 29 leaves on the aloe vera plant. And each leaf can be about 40cm long and 10cm wide. These thick fleshy leaves, along with its short roots, hold a great deal of water. So the aloe vera plant can go long periods without water. It's now grown commercially for the natural benefits it contains, across the southern US, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean. Although there are more than 200 distinct species of aloe plants, the one which holds the most benefits seems to be Aloe Barbadensis Miller - also known as Aloe Vera - which means the true aloe.
Aloe Vera plants are very easy to care for and easy to grow in frost-free climates - either as houseplants or outdoors. However aloe vera plants do need a lot of sunlight, so it's best to place them in a sunny spot, or near a window that gets lots of sunlight. A common mistake that many people make is the tendency to over-water. Remember these plants are succulents - they hold water in their leaves to cope with long periods of drought. So they need less water than you might think.
It's quite easy to find aloe vera plants in your area at your local garden center or nursery. Look for a fairly mature plant, and ensure that the pot is adequately drained. You don't want to water it too often, in case the leaves at the bottom of the plant get waterlogged. And allow enough time between watering for the soil to dry out. Some of the smaller aloe vera plants occasionally get white marks on the leaf. This usually fades as the plant matures.
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.
Once you have an aloe vera plant, you'll have many! You'll find that you'll get lots of aloe vera pups - small plants that grow from the lower part of the main plant. You'll have to remove these gently and re-pot them, or give them to your friends. They make great gifts! If you leave them with the main aloe vera, they can sap too much energy from the main aloe and cause it to wither.
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!
Jo Johansson loves traveling and exploring different topics related to natural health and nutrition. For further information on pure aloe vera products, visit http://AloeandYou.com. Don't reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.
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