Growing Aloe

Give An Aloe Plant As A Gift

Aloe plants make for very thoughtful, pretty and frugal gifts. I received one a couple years ago and I have been regrowing new ones from it's shoots to give to people. Everyone is thrilled to have them for it's medicinal purposes. Who doesn't love a new plant in the house?

By attosa from Los Angeles, CA

Give Aloe Vera Plants As Gifts

Buy an Aloe Vera plant from the store or get one from a friend. Plant it in your garden. It will multiply and grow many baby plants. When you need a gift, just take an coffee can or plastic milk bottle cut in half and fill with soil. Plant the small Aloe Vera plant in it and put a bow on the font. The container can also be decorated by wrapping it with wrapping paper and putting a bow on it. I also do this with herbs from the garden. It makes a great gift for the mom that has everything and is also the gift that keeps on giving.

The Aloe Vera can be used for burns, sunburns, as well as softening of dry skin. Many of my friends still have the ones I gave them and love the fact that when someone gets a burn or sunburn, they just have to run outside and pick a few leaves thus saving them time and money and instantly they think of me.

By Kathy B.

Growing Aloe

I have grown Aloe Vera for many years now. It likes lots of sunshine and likes to get dry completely before being watered again. Also, it likes light, sandy soil, not heavily fertilized, rich soil. If your plant turns yellow, it is telling you it is either not getting enough sun, is too wet, or it is too cold. Remedy these, and your plant will green right back up. Aloe is tough, similar to a cactus, when growing.

Source: I got my info from 2 cousins in Texas who grow Aloe in their yards. They both live near the coastal part of Texas, where it is hot, sunny, and basically dry. The Aloe stays out in their yard year round. In SC, though, it has to be brought in, as freezing temperatures will kill it.

By Jacketbacker from Greer, SC

Growing: Aloe

Botanical Name:

Aloe Vera, Aloe Barbados

Common names:

Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Curacao Aloe, Indian Aloe, Ghi Kunvar

Description:

Aloes are succulent plants belonging to the lily family, indigenous to East and South Africa. They have thick, fibrous roots and numerous, fleshy narrow leaves with toothy edges that protrude out from all sides of the root.

Life Cycle:

perennial

Exposure:

sun

Cultivation:

Aloe can be grown year-round in warm climates or indoors.

Propagation:

division and offsets

Parts Used:

leaves, roots

Harvesting and Storage:

Cut off leaves as needed and discard when finished.

Medicinal Uses:

Gel from the leaf blades can be applied directly to skin ulcers, burns, sunburns and fungal infections. Aloe is also used in veterinary medicine as an equine purgative. It is usually prescribed in combination with other herbal remedies to aid in digestive ailments.

Culinary Uses:

none

Other Uses:

decorative houseplant

Notes:

related species are used as antidotes to arrow poison.

By Ellen Brown