Aloe Plants

Aloe plants are one of many healing plants, and will make a great addition to any garden.

Aloe is known as the "medicine plant" because the gel inside the leaves is used externally to treat many skin ailments.

Even if you never need this plant for its medicinal qualities, you'll appreciate its decorative qualities.

Aloe is a beautiful addition to an an outdoor herb garden, but can also be grown inside as a house plant in some zones.

There are many varieties of aloe, so shop around until you find the one you like.

I personally like to grow several varieties in my garden to give it a little curb appeal.

Description

Aloe plants are perennials that grow 2 to 3 feet tall in zones 9 and 10; elsewhere as a houseplant. Aloe plants produce yellow or orange, 1 inch long tubular flowers borne in a terminal cluster on a 3 to 4 foot long stalk.

The leaves are fleshy sword-shaped leaves with spiny edges grow to form a rosette.

How To Grow Aloe

When to plant: In zones 9 and 10, plant container-grown plants in the garden anytime. North of zone 9, grow aloe in a container and over winter indoors.

Where to plant: Aloe prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade.

Soil and fertility: Plant in well-drained neutral soil (ph 7.0) of average fertility.

Plant pacing: Allow 1 to 2 feet between plants growing outdoors.

Pests: Mealybugs, root mealybugs.

Diseases: Susceptible to root rot in consistently moist soil.

Harvesting Aloe

When to harvest: Pick the leaves anytime during the growing season as needed once they reach a minimum of 5 to 6 inches long.

How to harvest: Cut off the oldest leaves at the base.

Aloe Uses

Medicinal: This succulent plant is grown in homes around the world for its skin-healing properties. Split the leaf and rub gel from the inside of the leaf over minor burns and scrapes.

Research shows that the gel contains compounds that are anesthetic and antibacterial. If the burn is not too severe, the gel can prevent scar tissue from forming and pigmentation returns to normal.

Tips On Growing Aloe

Propagate aloe by rooting one of the offshoots that form near the base of the plant. To remove an offshoot, shake the mother plant out of the pot and gently pull the young plantlet away.

Use a trowel to seperate offshoots from garden-grown plants. The offshoot will already have grown some roots, so you can replant it immediately in a container, or in warm zones in your garden.

Aloe plants make a nearly carefree houseplant if its potted in a fast-draining soil mix and watered only when the top inch of the soil dries out.