A hardy plant in the Middle East symbolizes longevity and prosperity. For those who are familiar with aloe, home care doesn’t seem difficult. The main thing is to pay attention to him in order to get the maximum benefit from the living talisman and “medicine on the windowsill”.

Aloe - Succulent Plant

The botanical genus has more than 500 representatives living in South Africa, Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula. The name "aloe", according to scientists, comes from an Arabic word meaning "bitterness" (a property of juice). There is a legend about the tradition of the Arabian tribes to hang a plant over the entrance to the dwelling. The green bush not only did not die without soil, but even bloomed. The name of the dried juice “saber” among the Arabs means “patience”.

Indoor aloe grows rapidly in spring and summer if it receives enough light. Tolerates the lack of watering (within reasonable limits).

The attention of gardeners is attracted by the unusual “appearance” of xerophytic succulents, their ability to tolerate drought for a long time. Designers use aloe in compositions, create a background for flowering plants with their help. In alternative medicine, approximately 30 species are used; medicinal properties of 10 of them are recognized by official science.

Types of aloe for growing at home

Representatives of the genus in natural conditions are rather tall shrubs. Aloe tree-like in tropical regions of Africa reaches a height of 3-4 m. Indoor plants are herbaceous plants, in which the lower part of the stem lignifies with age.A characteristic feature of aloe is fleshy leaves filled with thick juice. The needle teeth serve as an adaptation to reduce evaporation.

The following species of the genus Aloe of the Asphodelaceae family are widespread in indoor and greenhouse floriculture:

  • tree or agave (A.arborescens);
  • present or faith (A.vera);
  • spotted (A. maculata);
  • spinous (Aloearistata);
  • marloth (A. marlothii);
  • premium (A. bellatula);
  • intimidating (A. ferox);
  • multifoliate (A. polyphylla);
  • short-leaved (A.brevifolia);
  • cap-shaped (A.mitriformis);
  • mottled or brindle (A. variegate);
  • folded or fan (A. plicatilis).

The most popular types:

Aloe tree

Leaves can reach a length of 22 cm with an adult plant height of up to 1 m. It gives lateral shoots, daughter bushes grow from the root. Along the edge of the bluish-green leaf plates there are denticles with sharp spikes. Blossoms rarely, throwing a long arrow with tubular orange flowers.

Aloe Vera

The chemical composition of the leaves and methods of using this species are the same as those of the agave. The plant comes from the Canary Islands, cultivated around the world. The diameter of the dense rosette reaches 60 cm. Green leaves are strewn with numerous white strokes and specks, thorns are located on the edges. Usually flowers have a tubular nimbus, yellow-orange in color.

Aloe motley

It forms a compact rosette of leaves of a triangular shape up to 15 cm long, dark green with a purple tint. The plant is decorated with white transverse stripes and a light border. Small spines are located along the edge of the sheet.

Aloe spinous

A dense spherical rosette of thickened leaves. The leaves are decorated with longitudinal rows of light tubercles and a serrated border. An adult plant gives many offspring. During flowering, throws an arrow 50 cm high with numerous orange-red “tubes”.

Aloe Awesome

Along the edge of large, fleshy leaves are reddish spikes. Wax deposits, prongs, spikes, thorns in this and other types of aloe are devices to reduce moisture evaporation, protection from animals in nature.

Features of plant care

Aloe is an undemanding indoor flower, patiently tolerates cold and heat. It responds well to top dressing, quickly recovers after a transplant. Even an inexperienced grower will be able to care for aloe.

Illumination, temperature

The photophilous aloe plant is placed on the windowsills of windows, but not of the northern orientation. Leaves need to receive natural or artificial lighting for at least 4 hours daily. At noon, shelter or moving the flowerpot with the plant to a place where direct sunlight does not fall may be required. In summer, many take aloe to a balcony, loggia or terrace.

In the African and Arabian deserts, these "thorns" are able to withstand the conditions from which the stones crack. The temperature of 18–25 ° С is suitable for a southern guest in a room. In favorable conditions, aloe grows rapidly, has a rich green color and sharper thorns. So that the stem does not deviate to the side, the flowerpot must be turned to the light 2 times a month.

The rest period in winter in aloe is less pronounced than in cacti, but physiological processes slow down. Therefore, they reduce watering, contain the plant at a temperature of 14–18 ° С. Young plants and adults in low light will not bloom.

Substrate requirements and top dressing

The rapid growth of aloe is good if you need to get more leaves for medicinal use. For the decoration of the room, this plus of the plant turns into a minus. It is possible to slow down growth by reducing the nutritional value of the soil: pour brick chips to the bottom, add sand and charcoal to the soil.

Use a ready-made substrate for succulents for planting, or prepare the soil mixture yourself. Take equal volumes of humus, leaf and sod land and sand. It is possible to grow aloe in coarse sand or crushed expanded clay.

The plant is fed from spring to early autumn once a month, in autumn - after a month. You can use fertilizer for cacti in dissolved form.

Watering and spraying

Aloe can do without watering for a long time. The plant uses moisture reserves in special cells. During watering, add water to the pan. In summer, moisturize twice a week, in winter - once every two weeks or less.

Drying of the soil is undesirable due to a violation of metabolic processes in the leaves and the appearance of care diseases. Stagnation of water in the sump should also be avoided.

Aloe is sprayed with settled warm water using a spray gun. It is important that moisture does not enter the sinuses of the leaves. The plant is afraid of waterlogging.

Transplant and pruning

Up to three years of age, aloe is transplanted into a pot every year, 2-3 cm wider than the previous one. After 3 years of life, the plant is transplanted once every 2-3 years. The signal for this procedure is the roots in the drain hole and protruding roots on the surface of the soil. Aloe is transplanted into a deep pot with a diameter of 15–18 cm. At the bottom, a drainage layer 6 cm high of ceramic shards and broken bricks is needed. If there are processes from the root, then they are planted separately.

The lower leaves of aloe are often broken down for medicinal needs. The stalk below is exposed, the decorative look is lost. Then mature leaves are cut, and the top and side shoots 15–20 cm long are used for vegetative propagation. First, planting material is dried up for 1-2 weeks.

Aloe propagation

The apical and lateral shoots with 5 leaves are cut for propagation, root offspring and seeds are used. Vegetative methods are less laborious, even beginner flower growers can do it. Hardened cuttings are rooted in washed sand or in a special substrate of sand and peat (1: 1). They are deepened into a substrate by 2 cm, tamped, watered and covered with a plastic bag. After a month, rooted plants are transplanted into ceramic pots, they are more stable compared to plastic containers.

Seed propagation is usually practiced by breeders to obtain new forms and hybrids. Close the seeds shallow into the soil in a room greenhouse, make sure that the substrate is moist, the temperature is within 20 ° C. Transplant seedlings in separate containers.

Plant diseases and pests and methods of controlling them

Aloe is rarely attacked by pests, mainly the plant suffers from the so-called care diseases. Dry rot, a fungal disease, is less common. When the soil is moistened, root decay is observed. When gray plaque appears, aloe spots should be treated with a biofungicidal agent.

Diseases of care - causes:

  1. Soft leaves, drying out tips - lack of moisture and nutrients.
  2. Leaf curl - dusty air, dry soil.
  3. The appearance of dark spots in the lower part of the stem is root rot.
  4. Yellowing - iron deficiency, smoke in the air.
  5. Thin, pale leaves are a lack of light.
  6. Brown spots are dry air.

If the entire collection of green plants is infected with scutes and footstails, then they appear on succulents last. To control pests on the leaves, a solution of crushed garlic cloves is used. Laundry soap is very effective: leave the foam on the plant for an hour, then rinse with plenty of water. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated. Apply the product to the leaves with a soft brush or cotton pad. You can get rid of the tails by watering the ground with hot water (45 ° C).

Aloe recipes in traditional medicine

Green healer juice is a part of therapeutic and cosmetic lotions, gels, creams. Aloe vera and faith are used to treat diseases of the skin and digestive tract, for instillation into the nose with acute respiratory viral infections. The entire set of nutrients is found only in fresh juice of leaves older than three years of age. It has bactericidal properties.

12 vitamins, 18 amino acids, 20 mineral components, phytosterols, and enzymes were found in the plant. Vitamin A, C, E complex in the juice has immunostimulating and antioxidant properties.

It is recommended to stop watering aloe 2 weeks before harvesting. The cut leaves are washed, cleaned of thorns, wrapped in parchment and left for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator for fermentation according to the method of academician Filatov.

Acne Application Recipe:

  1. Aloe leaf is washed with water, the thorns are cut.
  2. Cut a piece, remove the skin.
  3. The pulp is applied to an inflamed acne.
  4. Strengthen with adhesive tape.
  5. Leave the application all night.

In chronic bronchitis, a breakdown, take this mixture:

  • aloe juice - 1 part;
  • internal lard or badger fat - 1 part;
  • honey - 2 parts.

Heat the mixture in a water bath until smooth. Dissolve 1 tsp. funds in a cup of warm milk and taken three times a day.

Another option for the preparation of the drug involves mixing in a water bath 1 tbsp. l aloe juice, 50 g goose fat, 50 g butter, 1 tbsp. l cocoa, the addition of honey to taste. Before taking, dissolve 1 tbsp. l products in hot milk. A tasty medicine is suitable for treating weakened children prone to frequent colds.

Balm Recipe:

  1. Aloe leaves prepared according to the Filatov method are passed through a meat grinder.
  2. 2 parts of honey are added to one part of pulp with juice.
  3. Insist remedy 3-4 days in a dark place.
  4. 2 parts of Cahors wine are added to the mixture.
  5. Store in the refrigerator.
  6. Take a tablespoon three times a day.

Aloe juice balm with red wine and honey is used to treat chronic cough, with poor digestion. In case of an allergy to honey, replace this sweet product with sugar. Aloe components improve metabolism, eliminate the causes of diseases. However, the use of the drug is contraindicated in pregnancy, acute inflammation of the digestive tract and kidneys.

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