GROWING AND USES FOR ALOE VERA

HORTICULTURE TOPIC: Growing and Uses for Aloe Vera

Aloe vera, ​Aloe barbadenis, is a member of a group of plants known as Aloes. They comprise a genus of over 500 species of evergreen, mostly succulent, plants and are cultivated for agricultural and medicinal uses. It is also used for decorative purposes and grows successfully indoors as a potted plant.

Nancy Percivall, Committee Chair for Horticulture, shared tips on how to grow Aloe vera and its many uses.

• Good drainage is critical to the survival of Aloe vera so it is best planted with other succulents, cacti, or plants that don't like wet feet.
• Aloe vera thrives in containers as long as the soil is a commercial cactus mix or conventional potting soil with added perlite, sand or granite grit.
• Roots of an Aloe vera are shallow spreading so it's best to choose a wider, rather than deeper, container when potting up.
• In winter Aloe vera goes dormant so let the plant dry out completely before watering lightly. During summer the plant should also be allowed to dry out but then it should be soaked thoroughly each time you water.
• Aloe vera is easy to propagate from the little offshoots or “pups” the mature plant produces at its base. Use a sharp knife to cut the baby plant off the parent. When the knife wound has formed a callus, the pup is ready to plant.

Aloe vera is a living first aid kit. Inside its leaves is a gel that contains many minerals vital to the growth process and healthy function of all the body's systems. Aloe vera can be used to treat skin conditions such as burns and eczema, is a source of Vitamin B12, helps to regulate the immune system, eases heartburn, diverticular disorders and other types of digestive upset, and can reduce swelling and inflammation in arthritic joints.