Aloe vera > Home plants

Several decades ago there was no such abundance of drugs in pharmacies. Therefore, people often resorted to traditional medicine, and medicinal plants were grown simply on their windowsills. So, aloe vera grew in almost every home, and its healing qualities were used to restore health and beauty. In this case, the flower survives even in adverse conditions.

The article tells all about aloe, namely, what kind of plant it is, why it is so called, where the flower grows, you can also see photographs of it.

Botanical description and other names

Aloe vera is a succulent plant that belongs to the Asphodel family. The root system of the flower is underdeveloped. The foliage is green, there are thorns at the edges. Leaf outlet up to 60 cm in diameter. Aloe has a short fleshy stem.

The juice of the plant is a gel-like yellowish liquid. During flowering, the succulent plant throws a vertically standing peduncle 70-90cm high. Flowers are collected in inflorescence; their color may be yellow, less often red.

The name of the flower "Aloe Vera" in Latin means "true aloe." This suggests that the authenticity of the flower and its healing properties leave no doubt. But this is not one name for aloe, there are many of them, for example:

"Healing plant";
Indian Aloe
"First aid flower";
Aloe Lanza
Barbadenis or Barbados houseplant;
"Aloe real."

And the name "Barbados aloe" most likely came from the place where the flower grew.

The natural habitat or homeland of the flower is the territory of the islands of Barbados, Curacao, as well as Morocco, Egypt, India, Sudan, China. In Europe, aloe vera curtains of Alexander the Great. Today, in many countries of the world, the plant is cultivated both outdoor and indoor.

Photo

What the flower looks like will be demonstrated by the following photos:

What makes it different from the agave?

Botanists have already identified more than 500 varieties of aloe, however, the most popular are considered: aloe vera and tree aloe. It is these plants that are often confused with each other (what are the differences?).

First of all, subspecies of aloe have external differences:

the agave has a strong, thick trunk from which leaves grow;
real aloe as a houseplant grows in the form of a bush, with succulent foliage tending upward.

The chemical composition of these succulents is almost identical.

Just a note agave is mainly used for wound healing, treatment of skin diseases, and the beneficial qualities of aloe vera are more pronounced when applied internally.

Are there any other species?

Aloe vera has no separate species. Indoor flower is a subspecies of the numerous genus Aloe.

Therapeutic and beneficial properties

Aloe vera contains the following useful components in its composition: vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, minerals, polysaccharides, essential oils, antraglycosides.

It is for these substances that the flower is valuable in medicine and perfumery.

Condensed juice (sabur) is used for chronic constipation.
Preparations based on freshly squeezed aloe vera fluid are recommended for gastritis and stomach ulcers. They help reduce acidity, prevent intestinal cramps, improve intestinal motility, and increase appetite after a few tricks.
An equally important feature is the presence of barbaloin in the antibiotic antibiotic. It is quite effective for skin diseases and tuberculosis. This tool is prescribed for pancreatitis, colitis, conjunctivitis.
Biostimulants from aloe vera leaves enhance the regeneration of the skin, heal purulent wounds.
Antibacterial properties contribute to the destruction of streptococci, staphylococci, dysentery and abdominal sticks.

Aloe juice is often used for neurosis, migraines, asthenic state.

Read about the beneficial properties and contraindications to the use of aloe vera here, and learn about all the recipes of traditional medicine here.

Pot flower care

Domestic flower photophilous, prefers a sunny place in the house.
In the summer, it is permissible to leave on the street.
It does not tolerate cold and drafts.
The optimum temperature for indoor cultivation: in summer + 22-25 ° C, and in winter not lower than + 12 ° C.
In the hot season, abundant watering should be combined with spraying.
In winter, the volume of fluid should be reduced. Soil after watering should completely dry.
Aloe does not interfere with fertilizing with mineral and organic preparations. In the warm season 1 time per month.

Read more about caring for aloe vera at home in this article.

Cultivation and reproduction

For good development and lush flowering aloe vera needs a properly selected soil. The earthen mixture should consist of: peat, humus, leaf, sod land, sand. Mandatory drainage, in the form of crushed bricks.

A young plant is transplanted annually, but for an adult aloe, 1 time every 3-4 years or as needed is enough.

At home, aloe vera reproduces in several ways.

Seed method. In practice, rarely used. The process is long and time consuming. Seedlings grown from seeds can bloom only after 6-8 years. Yes, and seed is not easy to obtain, because the plant does not bloom often.
Cuttings. This method is more popular and effective. To do this, it is necessary to carefully cut the leaf of the flower and treat it with crushed activated carbon. After a day, the process is placed in a substrate for rooting. In this case, you do not need to water the stalk, and create a greenhouse effect for it.

You will find all the nuances and features of growing and propagating aloe vera in a separate material.

What can be prepared from a plant?

For the preparation of medicinal and cosmetic mixtures, you should definitely choose an adult plant that is at least 3 years old. It is also desirable to choose the lower leaves of the flower long, however, no more than 18 cm.

As raw materials use leaves of aloe vera, sabur, juice, extract.

With honey. Honey combines perfectly with barbadensis juice, which, in turn, allows you to enhance therapeutic effects. Medicines with a similar composition can be actively used, but not more than 30 days. For colds, it is recommended to drink such a useful infusion.
Ingredients: 300-350 g of chopped aloe vera leaves, 750 ml of dry red wine, 200 g of honey and 100 ml of alcohol. Mix everything thoroughly. Place the tincture in a dark, cool place. The dose for an adult is 1-2 tablespoons per day.
With aloe vera juice. The juice of this succulent really has a positive effect on the body. Maintains immunity at the proper level, helping to cope with a deficiency of nutrients in vitamin deficiency.
The nutrient mass is prepared as follows: take aloe vera juice, walnut kernels, lemon, honey, butter. Grind all components with a blender and refrigerate for 24 hours. Daily recommended to use 1 teaspoon 3 times a day.
For hair. A mixture of aloe vera juice with honey helps well as masks for baldness, dandruff, hair loss, and hair exhaustion. It strengthens the hair follicle, nourishes and moisturizes the scalp, heals the secant ends, stimulates growth.
During treatment, you need to rub aloe vera juice every day into the scalp. When a positive result appears, the number of procedures should be reduced to 1-2 per week. Therefore, continue for 2–3 months.
Mix for shine hair: take honey, aloe juice and castor oil. Mix and apply to wet hair. Hold for 15-20 minutes. Wash your hair well with shampoo afterwards.
For the nose. At the first symptoms of a runny nose or stuffy nose, you can use aloe vera extract. Thanks to its healing properties, the substance can easily cope with bacteria, moisturize the nasal passage, and reduce swelling of the nose.
The tool is recommended to be used within 5-7 days, 5 drops 2-3 times a day.
For the skin. Aloe vera affects different types of skin in different ways. Dry skin nourishes and moisturizes, oily - dries and kills germs, and gives normal skin a well-groomed appearance. For a tonic effect at home, you can prepare a natural lotion.
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of chamomile broth, 2 tablespoons of aloe vera juice, 3 drops of peppermint essential oil and 1 capsule of vitamin E. Heat the chamomile broth and juice in a water bath, then add the remaining ingredients. Mix everything. To smear a face in the morning and in the evening.
Cream with aloe vera. Aloe cream is also prepared at home. To do this, in the base cream, which can be purchased at a pharmacy or store, add a tablespoon of the gelled liquid of the plant. The mixture is ready to use.
If desired, you can add: decoctions of herbs, essential oils, liquid vitamins. Store cream exclusively in the refrigerator and not more than 10 days.
Face masks. Cosmetology, which actively uses the beneficial qualities of aloe vera, did not stand aside. Cosmetic products containing this plant are recommended for people with sensitive skin. They rarely cause an allergic reaction, at the same time they nourish, moisturize, protect the skin from environmental factors.
Prescription mask for dry skin. Combine the ingredients in equal proportions: aloe vera juice, honey, glycerin, oatmeal. Mix the mixture until smooth, add clean water if necessary. You can apply on the face daily. Keep at least 30 minutes.

Bloom

In its natural habitat, aloe vera blooms annually. The peduncle appears from the outlet and grows up to 1 meter in height. At the top of the arrow several dozen red, orange or yellow inflorescences are visible. Most often they are in the form of tubes or bells. The size of the flowers is about 3 cm.

Indoor flowering rarely occurs. Some gardeners force such a diva to force, dramatically changing the temperature parameters. In this case, the process usually begins in winter and lasts about a month. One plant may have one or more peduncles.

Aloe vera is an interesting flower, its decorative qualities are similar to cacti. And the plant has a number of useful properties. However, it is worth using aloe carefully, especially if there is a predisposition to allergic reactions.