Aloe

Family. Liliaceae.

Homeland of the plant. North Africa.

Description. The genus contains more than 300 species of succulents, as well as hybrids, small and large, rosette plants. These are evergreen perennials, shrubs or small trees with a very modest root system. 

Aloe are slow-growing succulents found primarily in the African bush and vary in size and shape.  Many of them have fleshy, thick leaves with hooked teeth or spines, even in the middle of the leaf.

Leaf color ranges from green to blue-green, with some aloes even being reddish in color. Variegated forms have blotches, spots or stripes on the leaves. The leaves reach 30 - 60 cm in length and 5 - 8 cm in width.

The thorns vary in size and shape depending on the variety of aloe. 

During the flowering period, the bush produces a tall, thin flower stalk up to 90 cm high from the center of the rosette; it can branch.

Flowers vary in size but are generally tubular and range in color from white to bright red, yellow and orange. Seeds are produced in dry capsules as soon as the flowers disappear. Domestic aloe blooms only 3-4 years after planting, the flowers have a pleasant sweetish aroma.

For flowering, it is necessary to keep aloe outdoors during warm periods and provide the plant with sufficient sunlight indoors.

Succudent has been cultivated for a long time and has become acclimatized in many countries around the world, where it is used both in medicine and in cosmetics.

Height. Up to 1 m.

Aloe at home

Air humidity

A very undemanding plant that easily tolerates a fairly dry atmosphere in residential premises - fairly dry air is suitable for its cultivation.

Aloe does not need spraying, and the ingress of water droplets into the leaf rosette can cause rot.

Watering 

The plant is a succulent; its leaves contain up to 96 percent water; it tolerates drought well.

Between waterings, even in warm months, be sure to dry the substrate.  In spring and summer, when the plant is actively developing, it is worth watering so that the soil dries out to a depth of about 2 - 3 cm between waterings.

In winter, water very rarely and each time make sure that droplets of moisture do not fall into the rosette of leaves - the plant will rot.  In some species, during prolonged drought, the edges of the leaves begin to curl - this sign will be a signal for the need for regular watering in the winter months.

Low varieties can be watered by immersing the pot completely in a large container of water at room temperature. Of course, excess moisture from the pan should be drained immediately after watering.

For irrigation, use only well-settled water at room temperature.

Aloe propagation

Leaf cuttings with a petiole can be rooted quite easily in spring or summer at a temperature of about 20 ° C, but be sure to dry them out for several days before planting. Sprinkle the cut area with crushed charcoal before drying. Leaf cuttings are placed in the substrate to a depth of no more than 2 cm.

Stem and apical cuttings are separated from the mother plant in such a way that each cutting has 4 - 5 leaves.

The lower leaves from rooted stem or apical cuttings should be removed - this way they can be planted in wet sand at a greater depth, which, in turn, will allow for a stronger root system and reduce the area of ​​​​moisture evaporation.  Leaves are removed by tearing them off with your hands - in this case, the plant does not have any remains of leaf plates that can rot. Wound surfaces are treated with crushed charcoal and dried in a dark place.

It is worth watering the cuttings very sparingly, but without drying out the substrate, rooting takes a long time - about a month.

The successful completion of rooting will be indicated by small young leaves appearing on the cuttings.

For young plants, the air temperature should be above 20 ° C - when placed in cool conditions, the plants quickly die. 

Also for propagation, small daughter plants are used - babies, which sometimes appear near the mother plant.

Such root shoots are separated with a sharp sterile instrument when they develop their own root system. Rooting can be done in a regular glass of boiled water.

Remember that young plants should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

For patient plant growers, for whom it is important to observe the entire process of plant development from the very beginning, propagation using seeds is suitable.

Seeds are sown in the ground in the spring - when the plant is ready to develop - they are planted in a loose, moistened substrate and covered with a layer of earth about 2 cm thick.

To maintain uniform humidity, cover the container with seedlings with transparent film or glass. With the appearance of the first shoots, the shelter can be removed.

The seedlings are kept in a warm place at a temperature of at least 21°C, shaded from direct sunlight.

Transplanting aloe

As the pot fills, indoor aloe plants are planted in a container of slightly larger diameter in the spring or early summer. The need for replanting can be indicated by roots that appear in the drainage holes of the pot. Young plants are replanted annually, adult specimens - once every 2 - 3 years. 

1. For planting, select a slightly cramped pot with large drainage holes, the diameter of which should be half the length of the leaves.
2. Heavily overgrown specimens are difficult to remove from the pot - such plants can be soaked in warm water for 1 - 2 hours, and the root system can be slightly air-dried before planting in a new pot.
3. The walls of plastic pots with an earthen lump tightly braided with roots are lightly kneaded with your hands and, if necessary, cut.
4. When planting a plant, it is worth placing a fairly thick layer of drainage made of brick chips, polystyrene foam or expanded clay at the bottom of the pot.
5. The root system is carefully cleaned of old soil and the plant is placed in a new container at the same depth at which it was previously located.
6. When transplanting, old and rotten roots are cut off with a sharp sterile instrument.
7. After replanting, the soil around the stem should be lightly compacted with your fingertips to remove air pockets.

Instead of replanting, you can use gentle transshipment - preserving the lump of earth and root system - simply sprinkling the plant with fresh soil around the edges.

After transplanting into fresh soil, stop watering for 7 - 10 days and place the plants in shade from direct sunlight. 

Soil

Any suitable soil for cacti and succulents with a slightly acidic or neutral pH ranging from 5.0 to 7.0 and adding plenty of coarse river sand or perlite to improve drainage.

The composition of the soil may include turf and light leaf soil, peat. You can add a small amount of charcoal to the growing soil - this will disinfect the substrate and make it looser.

Growing temperature

Aloe indoors are plants that are tolerant to any temperature in living spaces. The optimal temperature is 21 - 26 ° C, the flower tolerates temperature drops to 10 ° C well.

The succulent does not like extreme heat at home, wintering should take place in a cool place with a temperature of about 12 ° C.

A cool dormant period is very important for the onset of flowering.

Lighting

Prefers very bright light, but not direct sunlight.

In autumn and winter, if there is no dormant period, the plant may need additional lighting with fluorescent lamps.

Do not move plants from indoors to open sun right away - let the leaves gradually adapt to the change in lighting.

Pests and diseases

Most often, keeping aloe indoors does not cause any particular difficulties - most diseases of this plant will be caused by improper care.

• The reason for the appearance of leaves that are too small and narrow may be that the pot is too cramped - separate the children from the adult plant when replanting.
• Dry brown spots on leaves can be caused by sunburn, especially if the plant is placed in the sun immediately after watering.
• The cause of leaf wilting is overwatering, especially in cool conditions.
• Pale leaves indicate a lack of light - move the plant to a brighter place.
• Tall species lose their lower leaves with age and become less attractive. The tops of such plants are cut off and, after preliminary drying, they are rooted in wet sand. The cut area can be sprinkled with crushed coal. Also, when transplanting large specimens, you can simply bury them in the ground so that the bare trunk at the base is not visible.
• Aloe easily rots with excessive watering in the cold season. It is quite difficult to save rotten plants - it will be much easier to root the top or leaf cuttings.

Plants can be affected by mealybugs. Inspect the leaves regularly for these pests, and if the plant appears weak, remove the top 1 to 3 cm of substrate and make sure the roots are not affected.

Feeding

In spring and summer, during the growth period, once every two weeks, apply fertilizer for succulents and cacti in half concentration.

In autumn and winter, when the plant is resting, no fertilizing is carried out.

Remember that aloe is a succulent and stores a large supply of moisture and nutrients in thick leaves.

If you plan to use aloe juice for medicinal purposes, then, of course, you should use only organic fertilizers.

Fertilizer is applied only on wet soil - after watering. If a nutrient solution gets on the roots in a dry substrate, it can cause a burn.

Bloom

Flowering of aloe in culture is a rare occurrence; it only occurs when there is a good light source.

Maintaining a cool rest period will be very important for bud formation.

Care, pinching

Aloe plants are undemanding in care and are suitable for beginning flower growers. It is important to provide them with good drainage and enough sun. 

Promptly remove flower stalks and old leaves after flowering.

Tall varieties often require support to grow well.

Move plants outdoors during warmer months, using shelter from the rain.

Some tall species require pinching to form a compact, attractive plant or support for vertical development.

Pruning of long stems is carried out in the spring, with the beginning of new growth, and old, drying leaves are also promptly removed.

Wipe the leaves with a slightly damp sponge from time to time to remove dust.

Purpose

An aloe flower in a pot is a showy decorative foliage plant, and aloe juice has many beneficial properties and is widely used in cosmetology and folk medicine. Aloe with honey and lemon strengthens the immune system and is used as an expectorant.

Note

Aloe juice and especially aloe vera are used in cosmetic lotions, creams, ointments, and shampoos. It is believed that Cleopatra used it. The plant has tonic, bactericidal, wound-healing and anti-inflammatory properties - there are many recipes for its use, but there are also contraindications. For respiratory diseases, aloe juice is taken internally, mixed with honey; in addition, the plant juice can strengthen the immune system and increases the number of red blood cells in the blood - it is used for anemia.

The bush is poisonous to cats and dogs. An amazing feature of aloe is that its juice is used to root cuttings and soak seeds of other plants - thus increasing the percentage of rooting and germination of seeds. The succulent has phytoncidal properties and is able to kill pathogenic microorganisms in the air, and in addition, it very effectively cleans the atmosphere of harmful gases such as formaldehyde.

Types of aloe with photo

Aloe arborescens

     The most common species in indoor culture, with long, very juicy, green or bluish leaves. Almost 99% of aloe leaves consist of water. Along the edges of the leaves there are short but strong spines. In the natural environment, this species blooms with large pink or red flowers located at the tops of peduncles, but at home, flowering rarely occurs.

Aloe white

There are no pure white varieties of aloe yet, but there are several subspecies whose leaves have light shades, as close as possible to white, for example, Aloe somaliensis, short-leaved aloe - Aloe brevifolia, Aloe Descoingsii - Aloe descoingsii and Aloe dhufarensis.

Aloe variegata (Tiger Aloe) 

A small succulent evergreen plant forming a rosette or large, succulent, triangular, sessile leaves. The leaves are painted in a dark green shade with transverse light stripes and a light border along the edge of the leaf blades. During the flowering period, it produces tall erect peduncles, on top of which there are many pinkish-red tubular flowers with small petals.

Aloe ferox

In its natural environment it reaches 2 - 3 m in height. Based on the name, it becomes clear that this subspecies is equipped with strong spines, and they grow not only on the ribs, but also in the center of the leaves. The leaves are oblong - triangular, green, with a bluish waxy coating; in bright light they acquire a pinkish - purple tint. The peduncles are borne on the tops of inflorescences - candles, which contain a very large number of orange flowers with a long floral tube.

Aloe vera

The agave is familiar to all of us. It is a succulent evergreen shrub up to 1 m high. The stem bears long, succulent, light green leaves with thorns on the ribs, arranged in a spiral. Young leaves sometimes have lighter or darker spots on their surface, but these disappear with age. When kept in direct sunlight, the edges of the leaves become pinkish. It is widely used in medicine and cosmetology. 

Aloe polyfolia, which lives in the mountains of Lesotho at an altitude of about 2500 m above sea level, tolerates frost and snow cover for quite a long time. UAloe bulbiferous  in the lower part of the inflorescence, instead of flowers, “bulbs” develop, which also serve for vegetative propagation.

Aloe albiflora

Compact succulent with thick, succulent, long leaves collected in a rosette. The leaves are almost rolled into a tube, colored dark green with light green or yellowish specks. When grown in a well-lit place, the leaves appear burgundy. The edges of the leaves are equipped with small, sharp, light-colored teeth. The peduncles are thin, erect, often branched towards the apex, 30 - 35 cm high. The flowers are white, bell-shaped, drooping, with a thin greenish stripe in the center of the petals, reaching 1 cm in diameter. 

Aloe squarrosa

An attractive decorative foliage succulent that develops a thick, often drooping stem with age. The leaves are broadly triangular, thick, juicy, colored green or dark green with small light specks, reaching a length of 8 cm. Small light spikes form along the edges of the leaves, and sometimes right in the center. Peduncles are leafless, thin, 10 - 20 cm high. The flowers are small, tubular, orange with greenish tips.

Aloe mitriformis

An amazing plant that, with age, forms long lodging, branched stems up to 2 m long, and the plants develop quite quickly. The leaves are thick, succulent, triangular, green or pinkish, sessile. On the edges of the leaves there are rows of short thick spines of white or yellowish color. Peduncles are thin, leafless, branched towards the apex. The flowers are tubular, salmon-colored with brown or gray tips. Flowering is very abundant.

Aloe bellatula

Small stemless succulents that form basal leaf rosettes with long, dark green, almost curled leaves. The surface of the leaves is covered with small light specks. The edges of the leaves have small white teeth. The flowers are tubular, coral, on the tops of thin, erect peduncles.

Aloe descoingsii

The smallest stemless species of aloe with widely triangular, thick, fleshy leaves collected in basal rosettes. The leaves are dark green, often with small light specks, reaching a length of 4 cm. Peduncles are leafless, erect, 12 - 18 cm high, each capable of bearing up to 15 bright, orange, tubular flowers.

Aloe plicatilis

Very spectacular succulents that, with age, form thick, powerful, branched trunks covered with brownish-gray bark. In its natural habitat, this species reaches a height of 3 - 5 m. The leaves are belt-shaped, juicy, flat, green, often covered with a bluish waxy coating. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs and reach a length of 30 cm. The peduncles are thick, short, powerful, and bear tubular orange flowers at the tops.

Aloe haworthioides

Low-growing, attractive succulent plants that form basal rosettes of thick, succulent, triangular leaves, colored in dark green or brownish shades. The height of the plant does not exceed 10 cm. The leaves are abundantly covered with long, thin, often curved, light-colored cilia. Each rosette is capable of producing several erect peduncles with bright, orange flowers.

Aloe Brevifolia

Miniature succulents with thick, triangular leaves gathered in basal rosettes. With age, this species forms low, thick stems. The leaves are triangular, green, often covered with a bluish waxy coating. On the edges of the leaves there are short, thick teeth. The leaves of some specimens can acquire a pinkish tint. The peduncles are tall, erect, forming long, tubular, orange flowers at the top. 

Aloe juvenna

Succulent plants with long, lodging stems branched at the base, up to 30 cm high. Thick, succulent leaves are triangular in shape and abundantly cover the stems. In appearance, the leaves of this plant resemble faucaria. The shade of the leaves will depend on the degree of illumination - when grown in partial shade, the leaves will remain green with small white specks; in direct sunlight, the plant acquires a delicate pinkish tint. The small, light-colored teeth along the edges of the leaves appear sharp, but are actually soft. During the flowering period, tall peduncles with many tubular, salmon-green flowers appear at the tops of the shoots. 

Aloe polyphylla

Stemless plants that form a very impressive, symmetrical, basal rosette of leaves. The leaves are succulent, green, triangular, arranged in a spiral. Often the surface of the leaves is covered with a bluish waxy coating. An interesting feature of the plant is that the leaves can be arranged either clockwise or counterclockwise. The edges of the leaf blades are equipped with small greenish teeth, and at the tops of the leaves there are already sharp brownish teeth. In spring or early summer, the plants produce flower stalks with tubular red or salmon-colored flowers.

Aloe rauhii

A beautiful decorative foliage plant that forms a leaf rosette with a diameter of 10 to 20 cm. With age, some plants can form low stems. The leaves are thick, juicy, sessile. Young leaves are dark green with small silvery specks on the surface. With age, when grown in direct sunlight, the leaves may take on a pinkish or purple hue. During the summer months, the plant can grace itself with an erect, tall flower stalk bearing tubular salmon-colored flowers.

Aloe marlothii

In their natural habitat, these plants can form tall stems bearing the remains of old leaves and in this case their appearance will resemble yucca. Very large succulents with thick, fleshy leaves that can reach a length of 1.5 m. The leaves are narrowly triangular, green, often covered with a blue waxy coating. When grown in good light, some plants may take on a bright orange or pink hue. In the warm season, the most gorgeous branched inflorescences with many orange or yellow flowers appear.

Aloe Aristata

An evergreen dwarf species that is a stemless leaf rosette resembling a haworthia. The leaves are dark green, triangular, up to 15 cm long, covered with small light tubercles. Old leaves at the base of the plant may take on a pinkish-bronze hue. The entire surface of the leaves is covered with small light spines. The vertical flower stalks bear a multitude of bright orange flowers at the tops.

Aloe saponaria

An evergreen perennial plant forming rosettes of thick, broadly triangular leaves of dark green color. Light green or bluish specks run across the leaf blades. When grown in full sun, the leaves may turn pinkish-red. Vertical flower stalks reach a height of 90 cm and bear tubular coral flowers at the top.

      There are very attractive forms of Aloe variegata with light spots or red-violet leaves, some varieties are distinguished by the presence of a large number of long white or even pink spines.