Growing 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.

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.

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 plant care is pretty straightforward. They like warm climates and plenty of sunshine. They do not like over-watering or temperatures below zero. They are very hardy plants, and since they are succulents (they hold water in their leaves and roots) they don't need a lot of water. In fact they seem to thrive on very little. A sunny part of the garden, or south facing window would be ideal.

You should be able to purchase an aloe vera plant near you, at a garden store or nursery. Some aloe vera plants have small white markings on the leaf. This is nothing to worry about, and will fade as the plant gets older. Look for a healthy plant, with thick leaves and dry soil. You certainly don't want to give aloe vera plants too much water, and in the winter, even less. So make sure the roots aren't waterlogged, and the soil is sandy.

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.

Aloe vera plants also produce many pups - or offshoots of the plant - which tend to grow around the base of the aloe. You'll need to take these out gently and replant them when they are 3-4 inches high, so they don't cause the mother plant too much stress. Sometimes the pups can make the aloe plant spread its leaves horizontally rather than vertically. The pups make lovely gifts for your friends and family.

With a little care and attention, aloe vera plants can live for many years, and provide a fascinating addition to your home or garden, as well as a wonderful source of aloe vera gel. To obtain this gel, just remove one of the lower leaves, cut it in half along its length, and rub the inner pulp over the affected area of skin.

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Jo Johansson loves writing and researching different topics related to natural health and healing. For more information on pure aloe vera products, visit AloeandYou.com.

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