Well      20.04.2019

Aloe - home care and breeding secrets. Aloe: home care - it's easier not to find

Aloe can be found on the windows of many Russians. Its value is not only decorative form, but also in the healing properties of the juice. But it can be taken from healthy plants. You can grow aloe at home if you know the features of care. They will vary slightly depending on the type of this houseplant. Plants should be grown in comfortable conditions.

Aloe house plant varies in outward signs, depending on the type. In nature, this succulent plant is tall, forms thickets. Aloe domestic compared with wild relatives - a dwarf, a hybrid.

Most often grown (description and photo):

Aloe present

Aloe vera has a short stem, fleshy smoky green leaves that gather in a rosette. The leaf blade is covered with white spots. Spikes along the edges. It blooms, but rarely, but if aloe is cared for at home according to all the rules, then it will throw out an inflorescence that looks like a brush. Flowers inconspicuous, yellowish.

Aloe tree

Aloe tree also has another name -. Grows fast. Grey-green leaves resembling swords are located on the stems, forming a rosette. Flowers are a rare occurrence, but if they appear, they delight the eye with red, yellow or pink inflorescences. On some plants, the flower is scarlet.

scarlet brindle

Aloe variegated, with a tiger color of a green leaf, grows up to 30 cm. Rosettes are located in a spiral. It is valued by flower growers because of its decorative effect. When asked how often aloe blooms, there is only one answer: pink or yellow inflorescences resembling brushes are not often seen.

Any of these varieties can be used as a medicinal and cosmetic product. Cosmetologists around the world prepare anti-aging, medicinal preparations with leaf juice.

In order for the plant to please, you need to know how to care for aloe at home.

Features of care

Landing

The question of how to plant aloe from a shoot is of interest to beginner flower growers. For aloe, pots are purchased before planting. They should be spacious and large in volume, preferably ceramic, so that the root system can "breathe". The root grows well, in a small bowl it will be uncomfortable for him, since an incorrectly planted aloe sprout begins to signal an error with emerging roots and drying leaves.

Transplantation should be carried out when the plant becomes crowded. An aloe flower is placed in a new one each time, bigger size(in accordance with the dimensions of the flower), a bowl, in a certain composition of the soil. Although unpretentious plant undemanding to the soil, for a young sprout you need to buy soil in flower shop. By the way, agaves prefer to grow in soil for cacti.

Drainage is poured first, then the earth. Lightly shed and you can plant aloe. indoor flower after planting, put in a cool place where direct sunlight does not fall. Then they transfer it to a sunny windowsill: after all, the agave (the second name of aloe) is a heat-loving plant.

Experienced flower growers it is advised to keep the soil in a hot oven to protect the future plant from diseases and harmful insects.

Watering rules

Aloe at proper care, at home grows rapidly. When watering aloe, you must follow this rule:

  1. In summer, once every 7 days is enough, but plentifully. If the agave begins to bloom, watering increases.
  2. In winter, when the plant is resting, it grows very slowly, moisture consumption is minimal, it is enough to water once every 15 days.

And how to properly water aloe, so as not to harm:

  • Do not allow stagnant moisture. Roots rot in water. The lack of moisture in the soil is easily determined: usually the fleshy leaves become flat, and the tops curl.
  • A drainage cushion made of expanded clay, brick chips, and small gravel helps prevent stagnation.
  • Before planting aloe, the bottom of the pot is drilled in several places so that excess water drains into the pan, otherwise the earth is covered with a green coating.
  • Watering from above is prohibited. It is better to pour water into the pan and put a flower in it.
  • Use water at room temperature. If water is taken from the system, then it is pre-defended.
  • In the summer around the plant create high humidity by spraying
  • Once every two months, special fertilizers are added to the water for irrigation and the home healer is fed.

Lighting Features

We talked about how to water aloe, it's time to talk about lighting. Any home flower demanding for a certain light regime. Place the agave on a sunny windowsill. As for the winter period, it withstands darkening well, avoiding artificial lighting.

In order to form a uniform arrangement of leaves, indoor flowers, including the agave, are moved to the balcony for the summer. You need to put it so that direct sunlight does not fall on it and does not burn.

To properly care for an agave means to create and temperature conditions: in summer from +22 to 26 degrees, in winter within +10 and slightly higher.

Transplant rules

Indoor flower needs to be transplanted. This procedure is usually carried out with the onset of spring days. If the agave is transplanted correctly, then it quickly takes root and begins to form new leaves.

Before transplanting aloe at home, divide the plants by age. If the plant is young, it needs to change the pot and soil annually. Old after 2 or 3 years. It is also necessary to plant heavily overgrown agaves, regardless of age.

After preparing the container and the soil, separate the plant with a knife from the pot. Shake off the roots old earth, cut off the darkened roots. The same operation is carried out with damaged roots. Having placed the flower in the center, you need to add soil and compact it.

When aloe is transplanted, a lot of diverse planting material remains:

  • root shoots;
  • accidentally broken leaves;
  • cut stalk from the top. By the way, the top is specially cut off to get a new plant.

Which method of breeding aloe to choose

There are several ways, each requires a different approach. Therefore, you will have to decide if there is no experience, and choose one thing:

  1. Seeds. Not all flower growers decide on this method, because it takes a whole year to get a flower. It looks like this: sowing seeds, getting seedlings, caring for them, creating certain conditions. You have to deal with it like you would with a small child.
  2. Growing aloe from a leaf is a practical method. Pinch off planting material, sprinkle the cut with activated charcoal. Let it sit for 5 days to dry. Then immerse in the ground by 5 cm, cover with a jar. Since the leaf is without a root, planting is carried out in moist soil, covered with a jar on top. The created greenhouse effect accelerates the development of the root system (10-15 days).
  3. Now let's figure out how to grow aloe from a shoot. Take the desired part from a healthy plant. The shoot should have up to 8 leaves. Trim the aloe in the right place and remove the planting material to dry for five days. Before planting an aloe shoot, you need to make sure that the lower leaves reach the moist soil. The shoot is well rooted on a lighted windowsill. The first signs that the plant has given roots will appear in about a month.
  4. Centennials are propagated by children. This is the name of the shoots coming from the root. If aloe babies are without roots, they can also be used as planting material. The root system will then develop.

Plant diseases and pests, how to deal

The agave is an unpretentious plant, but affected or pests, it looks depressing.

Let's look at the most common problems.

PROBLEM CAUSE SOLUTION METHOD
Root rot, lightening of the leaves, rotting of the lower part of the plant over watering Reduce intensity, wait until the earth dries. If the problem persists, do transplanting in any way
Sudden leaf fall Used for irrigation cold water or the plant is standing in the cold Water with warm, settled water, find a more suitable place
Appearance of brown spots Not enough moisture Increase watering
Appearance of soft spots Fungus For processing, apply a fungicide, ventilate the room
strong pull plant lack of light Move to a lighted window

There are insects that can cause irreparable harm. You need to beware of shields, spider mite, mealybug, thrips. The measures to combat them are the same as with other indoor plants.

Conclusion

pictured aloe marlota / A.marlothii

An agave is a must-have in every family. It is advisable to put a flower pot in the bedroom in order to get enough oxygen at night.

There are many signs associated with aloe growing in the house:

  • protects the house and residents from the evil eye, damage, brings good luck;
  • people live happily ever after;
  • the flowering of the agave is associated with the angel who settled in the house.

If the plant is used in medicinal purposes, then you need to take the leaves from the oldest. How to determine the age of aloe? This can be done using the height of the plant: if above 20 cm, then about 3 years.

Previously, almost every house or apartment had aloe on the windowsill. Today, the popularity of this plant has subsided, but it still remains in demand, as it has medicinal properties. From the article you will learn how to care for aloe at home.

Aloe is native to South Africa. In total, there are about 350 various kinds this plant. But only 15 varieties have medicinal properties.

In the wild, the aloe flower has large dimensions. At home, their height rarely exceeds 70–80 cm. There are varieties that are a rosette of leaves. There are also species that form a tree-like stem.

A characteristic feature of the flower is the presence of dull green succulent leaves, the edges of which are equipped with thorns (although there are species without thorns). The leaf itself is long and tapers towards the base. In some varieties, the surface of the leaf plate is covered with a bluish bloom or wax. The color of the leaves depends on the variety: light green, dark green, green, etc. Many varieties have a pattern on the leaves made of white lines or spots.

The lower leaves have healing properties. They contain more concentrated juice. It tastes bitter, but has a pronounced antibacterial effect. Aloe juice is able to effectively destroy many pathogenic microorganisms. It also promotes the elimination of toxins from the body, regenerates skin and strengthens the immune system.

A flower in homemade aloe is extremely rare, since such conditions are not suitable for the plant (little heat and light). In nature, aloe blooms almost every year. The buds are usually painted in bright colors: red, orange or yellow.

Video "Aloe Care"

From this video you will learn how to properly care for aloe at home.

Varieties for home growing

At home, both ornamental and medicinal species are grown. TO decorative varieties indoor aloe include:

  • Folded;
  • Motley;
  • squat;
  • Chernokolyuchkovoe;
  • Marlot;
  • Aloe rauch;
  • White-flowered.

From medicinal varieties grown at home:

  • tree-like;
  • Soapy;
  • spinous;
  • Aloe vera (real);
  • Sokotrinsky;
  • intimidating;
  • Motley.

For any of the above houseplants to have beautiful view And medicinal leaves, indoors need to organize special conditions content.

The necessary conditions

To see how indoor aloe blooms, you need to create the following conditions for it:

  • temperature. This parameter should vary depending on the biological cycle of the plant. In winter, when the flower is at rest, the temperature should be +12 ° C. In summer, this figure increases to +25 ° C;
  • lighting. Aloe is a thermophilic plant. Therefore, a pot with it should be placed on a well-lit southern windowsill. In winter, additional lighting is not needed. It can lead to a loss of decorativeness due to the stretching of the leaves. After winter, the flower must be gradually accustomed to the light, taking it out to the balcony;
  • humidity. Aloe tolerates dry air well and does not need additional spraying. Leaves can be wiped with a damp cloth to remove dust.

The flower needs fresh air. Therefore, the room with it must be ventilated frequently. In the warm season, it is better to take out aloe on an open balcony.

Often the florist cannot achieve color from this plant due to the fact that he is not caring for him correctly. If the care is wrong, then even the right temperature, humidity and lighting will not make aloe bloom.

What care is needed

Indoor aloe care includes watering, fertilizing, transplanting and pruning. Let us consider in more detail how to take care of the "home doctor".

Watering

In spring and summer, when aloe is in the growth stage, watering is carried out 1-2 times in 7 days. Water should be added when the top layer of soil dries out. In autumn and winter, when the flower is at rest, watering is carried out once a month.

You can water the plant only with settled water, which has room temperature. Water is brought in from a watering can. It is poured along the edge of the pot. You can also pour water into the tray. When watering, do not allow drops of water to fall on the leaves. Otherwise, they will start to rot. Therefore, the agave can not be sprayed.

top dressing

To form fleshy leaves and increase the chance of aloe blooming at home, it is necessary to periodically feed mineral fertilizers once a month. Feeding should begin in mid-April, and you need to finish before October. In the period from mid-autumn to spring, fertilizers are not applied, since the agave at this time is in the "sleep" stage.

Transfer

Plant transplantation is carried out when the roots have filled the entire volume of the pot. You can determine that this manipulation is necessary by the following signs:

  • aloe stopped growing;
  • there is almost no earth in the container, but there are many roots;
  • germination of the root system through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot;
  • the appearance around the main shoot of numerous processes;
  • discoloration of leaves and stem;
  • leaves are about 2 times larger than the diameter of the container.

Young aloes in one pot can grow for about 2 years.

Adult and old flowers should be transplanted every 4 years. Each transplant involves choosing a pot, the volume of which is 20% larger than the previous one. Transshipment of a flower occurs in the same way as its planting.

pruning

The plant should regularly cut dried, broken or old leaves. You also need to cut the drying stem or shoots that show signs of being affected by the disease. Thus, the plant is rejuvenated.

By fulfilling all the requirements for the content of aloe at home, you can always have at hand an effective medicine. And if you try, you may be lucky and you will see how aloe actually blooms.

bactericidal and healing properties aloe. This plant is widely used in cosmetology and medicine, and therefore many housewives, wanting to always have a real “healer” on hand, prefer to grow aloe at home. Despite the fact that the plant should still be aware of some of the features of its content. So, how to care for aloe correctly?

Light

The plant loves bright direct light, and therefore it is best to place a flower pot near windows facing east or south. In order for aloe not to suffer from a lack of light during the cold season, artificial lighting should be created during this period, using for this purpose fluorescent lamps or fluorescent lamps. With the advent of spring, it is useful to accustom the "home doctor" to the sun's rays, but it is important to do this gradually, since otherwise there is a high probability of getting burns.

Watering

For aloe, abundant watering is detrimental, in which stagnation of water forms in the pan. This is due to the fact that the roots of the plant are very tender, and therefore prone to decay. How to care for aloe correctly in terms of providing it with the necessary moisture? So, it's best to water it by dipping. flower pot in water for 7-10 minutes. It is important to ensure that there is no accumulation of water in the rosette of leaves.

It is known that the leaves of the plant have the ability to store quite a large number of moisture. However, aloe does not like waterlogging, this is especially true for the winter period. So, in summer, the plant must be watered abundantly, once a week, while in winter one watering per month will be quite enough. Allow the substrate to dry slightly between waterings.

Humidity and temperature

Aloe is a houseplant, for the maintenance of which air humidity indicators do not play a special role, since all representatives of this family calmly tolerate both dry and humid air. In the warm season, it is optimal for aloe, while in winter the plant simply needs temperature regime at 12-14 °C. If it is not observed, aloe will not be able to enter a dormant period.

Substrate and transplant

A plant should be transplanted only if necessary, when its roots have grown so much that they no longer fit in a pot. Transplanting is best done in the spring. This is due to the fact that just during this period, aloe is filled with vital juices, and the chances of plant rooting increase.

It is very important to remember that in free conditions, aloe mainly grew on dry clay-sandy soil. For this reason, it is not recommended to transplant the plant into saturated black soil. Not suitable for planting and heavy clay soil. If you need to grow aloe, how to plant this plant correctly? Experienced flower growers recommend purchasing soil specifically designed for growing succulents for this.

If desired, you can make the substrate yourself. To do this, you need turf land (2 parts), leafy soil, sand and humus (1 part each), to which finely crushed brick should be added. As a rule, transplantation of adult plants is carried out 1 time in 3 years, while young specimens should be transplanted annually.

reproduction

Ways of photo which adorns the pages of books about medicinal plants, are different. The plant can be propagated by cuttings, seeds, whole leaves and basal layering. Cuttings can be carried out practically all year round, however, it is still better to perform it in the summer or spring. When aloe leaves are just beginning the process of rosette formation, it is necessary to separate the layers from the plant or side shoots. Sticky juice will drain from them, and therefore they should be allowed to dry well first, and after that they should be planted.

fertilizers

Aloe is recommended. The plant should be fed during the period active growth, in the spring, once every 2 weeks. Of all the variety of existing ones, it is necessary to opt for those that are intended for succulents and cacti. Peat and various fertilizers made on its basis should not be placed in the soil with aloe. It is useful to saturate the earth with nitrogen-containing mineral fertilizers.

If you do not know how to care for aloe and do it wrong, then first of all it will affect appearance leaves, and therefore this part of the plant must be given increased attention.

So, aloe leaves should grow upwards from the base of the plant. If the leaves lean down or grow to the side, then most likely the aloe is deficient. sunlight. If the leaves curl up or become thin, then the plant is probably not getting enough water and has started using its own sap to maintain moisture.

If the leaves of the plant have acquired a brown tint, then aloe, apparently, receives an excess of sunlight. In this case, it is necessary to move the pot with the plant to another place where the sun's rays are not so aggressive.

If aloe grows slowly, then the matter may be that the soil or water has an excess of alkali. It is necessary in such a situation to abandon the use of organic fertilizers.

Aloe pests

How to care for aloe to protect the plant from damage by various pests? To do this, you should regularly inspect the plant and, if suspicious signs are identified, urgent action should be taken. In this case, the correct diagnosis is of great importance. Aloe can be affected by pests such as:

Knowing how to care for aloe, you can always have a real "home doctor" on hand, beneficial features which make the plant indispensable in the treatment of many ailments.

The aloe flower is considered one of the most unpretentious succulents grown in indoor floriculture. Tree-like, or agave, is familiar to many since childhood. The plant lived on the windowsills of many city apartments and rural houses and always turned out to be a reliable first assistant if someone in the family was injured - a cut or abrasion.

It seemed that aloe grows by itself, he does not need care at home - he watered and transplanted. However, ignorance of the basic rules for keeping a medicinal perennial can cause serious damage to it, if not completely destroy it.
How to care for aloe at home? It is necessary to sort it out in order so as not to lose this useful indoor flower.

Features of planting a medicinal plant

Aloe is grown in wide and low clay flower containers. The root system of the succulent is small, and the aerial part is fleshy and heavy due to thick leaves, narrow pots easily tip over under the weight of the plant.

The perennial is vulnerable to an excess of moisture, and water evaporates faster in a ceramic or clay vessel than in a plastic one. That is why preference is given to these particular materials, although many flower growers plant the plant in a plastic container, but the watering regime is regulated taking into account what the pot is made of.

A generous portion of sand is always added to the substrate for planting aloe, the plant prefers loose soils that can not retain, but quickly pass moisture. In addition to the fertile component - soddy and leafy soil, vermiculite or perlite, as well as pieces of charcoal, are also added.

In a pot, during planting, the perennial is positioned so that the root collar is flush with the soil surface, not deeply buried in the substrate, since with such a planting it easily rots. The near-stem space is mulched with small stones - this protects against moisture stagnation around the most vulnerable part of the plant.

Conditions for keeping aloe

The succulent is very photophilous. For him, they choose the most illuminated place in the apartment, as a rule, this is the window sill of the south window. The plant is not even afraid of direct sunlight, under which its leaves acquire a slightly pinkish tint or have a bluish coating.

Of course, it is still better to protect it from strong sun in a 30-degree heat, but an air temperature of 22-26 degrees above zero is quite comfortable for aloe. However, the state of rest in winter, the flower prefers to endure in cooler conditions - about 16-18 degrees Celsius, not lower than 10 degrees. The cooler the room where the aloe is located, the less watering for it.

Aloe Care

At home, the plant is picky and does not impose special requirements on itself. The main thing is not to fill it in excess, but also not to dry it out, stick to the reasonable. In summer, aloe is usually watered once a week, in winter, when the succulent is at rest, once a month.

How to water a plant

Watering from above is used with caution, watering along the vessel wall, and not under the very root neck. You should be careful not to get water inside the rosette of leaves. If, due to inattention, moisture nevertheless got deep into the axils of the leaves, it is necessary to thoroughly blot it with a dry cloth.

For the plant, watering from below into the pan is more suitable. The succulent will take as much water as it needs, but the rest must be drained. Stagnation of water in the pan is extremely harmful to the flower - it leads to decay of the root system and the death of the perennial.

Spraying for aloe is optional. It does not need high air humidity, the plant in its natural habitats - in South Africa and on the Arabian Peninsula got used to the dry air of the savannas and deserts. In too hot weather, it is advisable to place a vessel with water next to the plant. Evaporating, it will weaken the influence of heat on the flower.

Aloe nutrition

To replenish the supply of nutrients in the soil mixture, fertilizer is used for cacti and succulents. Top dressing is carried out from mid-spring until the end of autumn several times during the growing season; aloe is not fed during dormancy.

Flower growers should be reminded that the plant is watered before fertilizing so that the root system does not suffer from excessive exposure to nutrients and does not get burned. It is better to fertilize aloe on a cloudy, non-hot day or when the sun is already rolling towards sunset.

Many succulent owners practice top dressing. folk remedies- sugar solution eggshell, crushed into powder, with water after washing cereals - rice, buckwheat and others, infusion of onion peel.

Do I need pruning aloe

A similar question is of interest to more than one grower, especially if the plant grows, ages. Many are interested in when it is possible for medicinal purposes.

It is advisable to use leaves for the preparation of aloe juice cut from specimens not younger than 3 years old, even better from five-year-old flowers. To do this, cut off the lower leaves at the base with a sharp instrument, put them in the refrigerator for a week to start the process of biostimulation in them, only then prepare aloe juice from the leaves.

The leafy shoots of tree-like aloe look extremely unaesthetic, so they are cut off, the tops are rooted and new plants are obtained, and young shoots grow from the cut stumps, forming a neat, lively bush.

For many other types of succulents, sanitary pruning of aloe is necessary when all old and damaged leaves are removed. It is best to produce it at the end of the dormant period. After the inflorescences wither, flower-bearing stems are cut off at the very base.

root offspring and stem cuttings should also be cut in a timely manner so that they do not pull forces from mother plant, and during the pruning of the roots - they remove dead ones during the dormant period, damaged and rotten, if any.

Aloe breeding methods

Succulent in several ways. The most common of them is obtaining new plants from root offspring and cuttings. The easiest method is to plant children during aloe transplantation, which grow from the roots.

Florists often practice rooting cuttings - stem and apical, as well as a separate leaf. It is important to dry the planting material for several days in a dimly lit place with a moderate temperature, otherwise the cuttings will rot and do not form roots.

Dried shoots or tops are buried in wet sand and watered moderately until it becomes clear that their root system has successfully formed. This is evidenced by young leaves that appear at the end of the cutting or at the base of an individual leaf of aloe buried in the soil.

The seed method of propagation of aloe is not used as often as cuttings. Seeds are laid out on top of a soil mixture consisting of 2 parts of river sand and 1 part of rotted leafy soil, and only lightly sprinkled on top. The bowls with crops are covered with cellophane film or glass and moistened regularly, not forgetting to ventilate. Shoots are shown in a week or a week and a half, they are dived in the phase of 2-3 leaves in independent flower containers.

Aloe Pest and Disease Control

The most common diseases of aloe are rot, root and dry, the causative agents of which are often fungi. Fungal infections appear when the flower content is too waterlogged. The plant softens, droops, the leaves change color from green to. Withering gradually begins and, if measures are not taken in a timely manner, aloe dies.

However, this process can be stopped if changes in the state of the flower are noticed in a timely manner. If the overflow is not protracted, the flower is dried and then watered very sparingly. However, if the root system has already begun to rot, the plant needs an immediate transplant to another substrate and a careful examination of the roots.

Putrid areas are cut to living tissue and treated with a fungicide, then dried and planted in a new pot and other soil mixture, not watered for a long time - up to a month. Only after making sure that rotting has been stopped, they begin to moisten very poorly at first, and resume the watering regime, only after fully making sure that the plant is cured.

Among the pests that can significantly harm aloe, they call spider mites, which they fight with the help of acaricides, cause a lot of trouble aloe thrips, scale insects and mealybugs, repeated treatment of affected plants with systemic insecticides helps to get rid of them.

The houseplant aloe is rightly called the "home first aid kit". It includes many useful substances, therefore, this succulent is used to treat diseases of a very different nature - from colds associated with a weakened immune system to gastrointestinal disorders. Also, due to its properties, the aloe plant is actively used in herbal medicine and cosmetology.

Types of houseplant aloe

Genus Aloe (Aloe) combines about 300 species of African shrubs, creeping or tree plants with succulent fleshy leaves.

The most widespread and popular aloe vera, or A. arborescence (A. arborescens). At home, the aloe plant blooms extremely rarely, which is the reason for the name "agave" - ​​"blooming once every hundred years." By the way, this characteristic of aloe has spread to cacti: the belief about the rarity of flowering cacti is largely associated with aloe. Meanwhile, these plants have no external resemblance.

Look at the photo - an aloe plant in the wild is a strongly branching tree or shrub 2-3 m high, and sometimes more, forming dense rosettes of leaves up to 80 cm in diameter:

At home, in Africa, aloe bloom annually, forming tall (up to 80 cm) peduncles with large red flowers.

In addition to aloe arborescens, among indoor plants you can sometimes find aristata (aristocratic), very similar to .

In this plant, leaves up to 10 cm long and up to 1.5 cm wide are collected in dense rosettes, and numerous white spines are scattered over their dark surface.

Another popular type of aloe houseplant is A variegata (variegata), with relatively thin, boat-shaped and transversely striated leaves, collected in squat rosettes.

Aloe home plant care and propagation

The requirements for caring for an aloe plant and its growing conditions are about the same as for most cacti. And the main one is a cool and dry wintering.

Under normal conditions, aloe, especially those grown for home live first aid kit, tend to suffer. Not only are they constantly “plucked”, they are also grown incorrectly.

In culture, these plants, like them, grow well in a loose substrate with a large amount of coarse-grained sand and clay-soddy soil, in which it is not recommended to add peat. They need a lot of sunlight, plentiful watering during the growth period. When caring for indoor aloe in winter, plants need a cool content (temperature about 10 ° C, rare watering). At proper cultivation at home is not only useful, but also wonderful beautiful plant. At the same time, aloe can live in a room for a very long time and begin to bloom at a respectable age (there is a known case of annual flowering after the plant reaches 17 years of age). Aloe flowers appear in the middle of winter.

The most common mistakes when growing aloe are related to the fact that they are kept as ordinary, non-succulent plants. As a result, the lack of light leads to a strong stretching of the plant, heavy nutrient soil and abundant watering in winter - to acidification of the substrate and the death of the roots. But aloe is remarkably tenacious. They do not get sick with anything, and if they are brought to the point of losing their roots, they will easily take root again in dry sand.

When caring for aloe, the reproduction of the plant is carried out exclusively in a vegetative way - by rooting the tops, branches or basal layering. Cut cuttings are pre-dried for several days. Rooting is possible at any time of the year.

The main medicinal properties of a houseplant aloe

This succulent plant is very common in room culture, but it evokes associations not with floriculture, but with a pharmacy. Perhaps there is no other houseplant so widely used for medicinal purposes. And they recognize medicinal properties aloe plants are adherents of all competing medical directions.

About the main medicinal properties Aloe plants have been known for over three thousand years. The succulent tissues of this succulent contain anthraglycosides, resinous substances, essential oils, enzymes vitamins, phytoncides.

One stripped off juice of aloe (sabur) has long been used for constipation. Preparations made on the basis of aloe have anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, choleretic, anti-burn and wound-healing effects, improve appetite and digestion.

The beneficial properties of the aloe plant are used in pharmacology and cosmetology (even diapers with aloe extract have appeared). At home, mature (at least 15 cm long) leaves are used, which are cut in the winter-spring period. They are crushed with a meat grinder, the juice is squeezed out, filtered through several layers of gauze, and boiled for 3 minutes. Use the juice immediately, as it quickly loses its activity. 5-8 drops of juice, poured into the nostrils at intervals of 3-5 minutes, stop the runny nose. Knowing about the medicinal properties of the houseplant aloe, preparations based on it are recommended for gastritis and peptic ulcer stomach, as well as to increase the body's resistance infectious diseases. For this purpose, it is recommended to take one teaspoon of juice three times a day 30 minutes before meals. There are cooking recipes alcohol tincture aloe (“liquor”): crushed leaves are covered with sugar and kept for three days, then poured with vodka and insisted for another week, after which the leaves are squeezed and the infusion is filtered. His
store in the refrigerator and take, like juice, a teaspoon three times a day half an hour before meals.