Aloe tree (ALOE ARBORESCENS) or agave - popular in our country indoor flower. This plant has earned its popularity for its various beneficial properties. No wonder our grandmothers were treated with aloe for all diseases, and therefore they actively bred it. Most often, aloe is used for medical purposes. But, also, it should be noted its benefits in cosmetology. Widespread was favored by the fact that aloe does not require complex care - even a novice grower can handle its cultivation. BUT great amount positive feedback for treatment with this plant shows how effective and useful it is. Therefore, for many housewives, aloe tree grows on the window. Let's take a closer look at what actually healing properties has aloe, and how to properly care for this useful plant.

Aloe in wild nature

Aloe arborescens originally grew in South and East Africa (South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe). There, in desert, semi-desert areas, aloe grows in the wild. Without human intervention, it grows to the size of a full-fledged tree - 3 meters. The girth of the trunk of such a tree reaches 30 cm.

The history of the use of aloe dates back several centuries - even the ancient Egyptians used aloe when embalming the dead. Also, there are legends that Cleopatra herself used the juice of this valuable plant to make her skin smooth and velvety.

Now aloe is bred in large areas of Central America, as well as in the Crimea, in the Caucasus. The spread of the flower began in the 16th century, when it was taken to Central America - to this day there are the largest plantations for breeding this plant.

Aloe got its name because of its taste - in Arabic "alloeh" means bitter plant. But why is aloe called agave? The thing is that this plant rarely blooms at home. According to numerous legends, flowering occurs only once every 100 years. Of course, this is not true, just for flowering at home, you need to comply with a number of special conditions. Few flower growers who grow it at home have seen what an aloe flower looks like. Scarlet, beautiful and bright flower aloe is not often shown. But in the wild, flowering occurs annually - from May to September.

Characteristic features

Aloe - evergreen. Belongs to the Asphodel family of plants.

At home, it grows to the size of a shrub with fleshy leaves that simply strew the entire length of the plant. The leaves are smooth, with small spikes at the ends, and inside they are full of juice. The unique structure of the leaves allows the plant to retain a large amount of moisture inside. Previously, when aloe grew only in the wild, this helped the flower survive in desert areas, where there was very little moisture.

The roots are very branched, again due to the small amount of water in the soil.

Temperatures below +1 degrees Celsius are detrimental to this plant. Therefore, monitor the temperature of the room in which you grow flowers.

A.arborescens flower

When grown in room conditions blooms very rarely. But experienced growers know how to fix this factor. In order for aloe to bloom, you need to form an artificial winter for it - put the flower in a dark and cool place and completely stop watering. This should be done for several weeks until the plant blooms. After that, you can return this medicinal flower to the light and warm room. Subject to all these rules, aloe will release a long-awaited flower. A red aloe flower, formed into a so-called "tassel", reaches a length of up to 4 cm. After the flower, a fruit will appear, in which there will be seeds. They can be planted and get new flower sprouts. But this way reproduction is very difficult, so most often the plant is propagated in other ways, which we will discuss later.

Flower care at home

Aloe is a heat-loving plant, and in order to grow it correctly, it must be located on the South, or on the West and East windows. If you have chosen the warmest place, make sure that in the summer heat the aloe is not always under the scorching sun - sometimes create artificial shade for it. This rule will help your flower not wither.

Aloe is unpretentious to the growing temperature - in winter, in summer it can do with a standard room temperature. In winter, control the absence of drafts, otherwise you will also ruin the plant. You will not need to spend extra time on creating a special microclimate. Therefore, home care for this flower is considered simple.

Watering aloe in summer, spring and autumn should be 1-2 times a week, like most other plants. In winter, experts advise reducing watering to once or twice a month. But if the air is too dry, then it is better to water at the same pace - the main thing is to make sure that water does not accumulate on the pan.

Aloe fertilizer is needed only from spring to autumn. Once a month, with a special fertilizer for succulents (although it is also suitable for cacti), you need to feed the flower. A weak fertilizer solution is needed. And in winter, aloe arborescens does not require additional care.

Transplant and reproduction

Replant the plant while it is young every year. If your flower has already grown, then it needs such a procedure much less often - once in 2-3 years. An adult is considered a flower that has reached the age of five.

If you want your flower, then pay attention to whether “babies” have appeared at its roots. They can be planted in a separate pot and grown to a full-fledged flower. If there are no children, then you need to cut off the top of the flower, dry it for a couple of days, and then plant it in a mixture of sand and peat (mixed in a ratio of 1 part sand to 1 part peat) to a depth of no more than 1 cm. Watering young plant should be done very infrequently and carefully. And after some time, proper care, you will grow real aloe.

If you don't want to risk it, you can buy seeds from the plant and plant them on an April afternoon, but keep in mind that growing aloe from seeds is a long process, taking about 1 year.

Pests and diseases

A huge plus of growing aloe is the fact that it is very rarely affected by pests. The only ones who can hurt given plant these are shields. But there is a very effective remedy for them - a mixture of garlic with soap and water. With this composition, it is necessary to wipe the leaves of the plant, and then there will be no trace of pests.

Of the diseases that can affect a plant, only root or dry rot is isolated. The disease can occur with excessive watering. How to detect that your flower is sick? If you notice that the plant does not increase in size, its leaves dry out, then rather take care of the treatment. To do this, the flower must be removed from the pot, the affected roots removed, and planted on new ground with lots of sand. Next, avoid over-watering.

Signs of improper care

If the leaves on the flower have faded, turned pale, then this means that you are watering the plant too abundantly. To return aloe to its normal appearance, you need to dry the soil, and with further watering, reduce the amount of water;
If the leaves of the plant are too thin, stretched out, then the room is too dark. Carry the flower for more sunny side or arrange artificial lighting;
If the leaves of the plant suddenly fell off, you are watering it too much. cold water. Watering should be done with water at room temperature;
Tips dry out - too little watering, increase the amount of water, or the number of waterings per week. Also, the cause may be too dry air in the room;
If found on a plant dark spots- the room is too cold or drafts are blowing. Move the plant to a warmer window sill.

Agave how to care at home. Aloe tree - description, useful properties. Cultivation and care

Aloe - widely known indoor plant, is famous all over the world for its miraculous healing properties. The name comes from the Arabic word "alloeh", which means a bitter plant. Genus Aloe (Aloe) belongs to the asphodel family (sometimes referred to as lilies) and unites about 300 species of succulent plants common in the steppes and savannas of Africa, as well as on the island of Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula.

It just prepares our skin for a lack of collagen and hyaluronic acid before we don't have enough. And aloe vera is a good remedy for this, because it contains collagen and hyaluronic acid and contributes to the process of skin regeneration. Soothing and Cleansing: Aloe soothes minor skin irritations and extends to my stained burns. It also has cleansing virtues.

Reproduction of aloe shoots

Protective film: penetrating into the upper layers of the epidermis, aloe vera hydrates. We don't know it doesn't interfere with education protective film on the skin. This oil is obtained by maceration of aloe vera juice in a neutral oil, so it would be more accurate to speak of "aloe vera oil maceration". But like butter carrots, the term "aloe vera oil" is allowed. Indeed, there is no way to extract the oil from any kernel, in addition to the possibility of macerating the plant part.

By appearance aloe are very diverse: basically it is perennial herbs, but there are tree-like, shrubby forms and even creepers; there are both giant and miniature views. The leaves are juicy, thick, elongated, mostly without petioles, with soft spines along the edge. Some types of aloe that do not form a stem are very reminiscent of haworthia, and it is not for nothing that they are often confused. In their homeland, aloe bloom annually. A peduncle is formed from the sinuses (up to 80 cm long), at the end of which red, orange, yellow, sometimes white flowers are collected in racemose or spike-shaped inflorescences. In room culture, they bloom extremely rarely. Lifespan is 5 to 20 years in a pot.

Aloe Vera Oil Properties

Nourishing: It is primarily an oil, which can nevertheless be used on the skin, just like the hair. Serum: This oily maceration can be used as a serum to revitalize and repair the skin. However, aloe vera, which has the ability to regenerate the skin, cannot doubt these virtues. Hair: This oil restores shine to the hair. It also strengthens and softens the hair, especially if it is dry and brittle.

Aloe - home care

Attention: these two ingredients are dosed from 2 to 10%. Whether for skin or hair before making a choice, two questions arise. What texture do you prefer? If you don't like gel textures, a little viscous aloe vera gel won't work for you. At first, I had a lot of problems using it on my skin. I didn't like the cold, viscous side of the gel.

Widely known medicinal properties aloe:

The healing properties of aloe have been known since ancient times and were widely used by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans a thousand years ago. The juice of aloe vera and "agave" has especially healing properties, it is used in the treatment of burns, purulent wounds and some other skin diseases. On non-healing wounds, fresh aloe leaves are applied with the skin removed. Preparations from condensed juice (sabur) have a choleretic, laxative effect, improve appetite and digestion, have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. Fresh aloe juice is used for chronic gastritis, inflammation of the gums.

As for Aloe Vera oil, the texture is similar to any other oil. Do you want to moisturize or nourish too? In terms of properties, we have seen that an oil will have a more nourishing effect than a gel. Even if it has nutritional properties, they do not match the oils of the oil, depending on your expectations. and your criteria.

As far as hydration goes, gel is obviously much more hydrated than oil. It applies as much to the skin as it does to the hair, penetrates easily and leaves no greasy film. The oil also hydrates in smaller amounts. Whether it is oily macerate or gel, they are easy to stick into beauty recipes. It is important to respect dosages in recipes, oil and aloe vera gel are of no special nature because they can be used pure, however there are ingredients with which this is not possible for others, including grapefruit seed extract, which is incompatible with aloe vera gel.

Aloe owes its healing properties to allantoin, which is contained in its leaves. In addition to allantoin, aloe contains natural antioxidants in the form of vitamins B complex, vitamins C and E, as well as beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body. All these nutrients very important for skin health. Based on aloe juice, there are many medicines, as well as creams, gels, shampoos, balms, which have found their application in cosmetics.

Other forms: aloe vera powder

Pure aloe.

Aloe Vera Gel Notes

The quality of the product is not degraded, you just have to go beyond the unpleasant aspect of a light brown beauty product. The specified date is usually six months. Cooling. Some people find it inconvenient to store aloe gel in the refrigerator, which is a minor limitation.

Where to find aloe vera, be it gel, oil or powder?

And, of course, if the same problems reappear, the product must be challenged later. Cultivating a plant is already a great satisfaction, which is generously rewarded with the many attentions required for its growth. For this reason, we will try to understand which best conditions for growing aloe vera. Aloe Vera is a perennial shrubby fleshy plant belonging to the Aloe family. It grows mainly where the climate is warm and dry.

General strengthening tincture from aloe leaves: mix 0.5 cups of crushed leaves with 0.75 cups of honey and insist in a dark place for 3 days. Then add 3 cups of red wine to the mixture and insist in a dark place for a day. Take tincture of 1 tbsp. l. two to three times a day before meals. Carefully! Aloe preparations should be used only after consulting a doctor! healing properties has only Aloe vera (Aloe vera) and Aloe tree (Aloe arborescens).

Transplantation and reproduction of the agave

Its healing properties are so great that it is appropriate to deepen the argument by trying to summarize them all in the next paragraph. Aloe vera leaves retain in them a gelatinous substance with commendable characteristics. This unusual gel is used in the most disparate business. If, for example, after a relaxing beach holiday, your skin has a bad sunburn, you can apply an aloe vera preparation to the affected area. It can be a great remedy for that annoying scalp nuisance: dandruff.

Aloe tree (Aloe arborescens) - the most common type of aloe, commonly known as medicinal plant called "agave", the leaves of which are used in the treatment of cuts, inflammation and some stomach diseases. How remedy it began to be used still far in the past. It is a branched shrub, gives numerous lateral shoots and grows well in height and width. The leaves are narrow, juicy, alternate, up to 20-30 cm long, with thorns along the edges. It grows very quickly, reaching a height of 30-100 cm (in nature up to 3 m).

Always on the subject of hair, aloe vera gel can also be used as a gel to shape our hairstyle and as a balm to be used before shampooing in case of particularly stressed hair, thanks to its ability to bind tightly with keratin. For redness, but also for skin tone, there is no better package. If an insect punishes us, or if hair removal and shaving leave nasty marks on our skin, that's where aloe vera comes in. We can rely on aloe vera to prevent and combat chronic or recurrent acne, to relieve muscle pain, to treat headaches when applied to the back of the head and temples.

Aloe vera (Aloe vera) - the only species that is wildly distributed in the Mediterranean. A bushy succulent with many shoots and a short stem that forms dense clusters of rosettes of leaves. The leaves are juicy, lanceolate, up to 50 cm long, slightly corrugated, grayish-green, serrated along the edges. Synonyms: Aloe Barbaden (Aloe barbadensis), Aloe Indian (A. indica Royle). Aloe vera juice is used in countless cosmetic and hair care products.

And if you want to try the new natural toothpaste, what are you waiting for? Aloe vera also serves this! Obviously, we need to make sure we have the best conditions so that our shrub doesn't suffer and can grow to the best of its ability. First of all, as we said at the beginning, aloe vera needs a warm and dry climate, so a place dedicated to its growth will be sunny. There are two main methods of growing this plant. First, the side shoots of aloe vera are cut off during summer period and then removed to dry in a dark place for two or three days or arrange them directly in a container with special rooting hormones for cuttings.

Aloe variegated (Aloe v ariegata) – small size plant up to 30 cm high, with a very short stem. The leaves are collected in a basal rosette, arranged in three dense, spirally twisted rows. They have a triangular-lanceolate shape, irregular shape transverse white stripes, with small soft spikes along the edge (sometimes without them).

The second method consists of multiplying. Seeds should be arranged in March in pots filled with specific soil for succulent plants. The outside temperature should be between twenty and twenty one degrees: abrupt changes or more low temperature than expected may jeopardize the actual flowering of shoots. But let's take a closer look at cultivation methods.

Growing from cuttings is quite simple, but its phases must be carefully observed so as not to interfere with the natural life cycle aloe vera plants. First of all, it is necessary to extrapolate one of the small seedlings that form at the base of the aloe vera shrub. Seedlings that have attached a small root to their base are preferred. We can remove these tender shoots with the help of a sharp knife, being careful not to cut out the rhizome if it is present. Shoots can be separated from the mother plant a few days after they appear.

Aloe spinous (Aloe a ristata) - leaves form a basal rosette about 20 cm in diameter. They are broadly lanceolate, with a white serrated border around the edge. The lower surface of the leaves is covered with whitish soft spines. This species is often confused with haworthia.

Aloe premium or beautiful (Aloe bellatula) - a short-stemmed plant with a rosette of narrow dark green leaves 10-13 cm long, 9-10 mm wide, covered on both sides with small warts and white spots. Leaf margin with small spines. Peduncle up to 60 cm high with coral-red bell-shaped flowers.

The custom of allowing sucklings to rest in the dark for two or three days comes from the need to heal the incision with which we remove young plants. If we didn't respect this thin passage, our suckers might rot when grafted into a new vessel. In the meantime, we can prepare a jar containing a mixture of peat and sand. As soon as the time of the remainder of the sucker is over, we can transplant them into this preparation.

Aloe is a succulent plant that grows very well indoors, it is valued for its soft green uniform rosettes, small thorns and, above all, for the healing properties long leaves. The word Aloe probably comes from an Arabic or Hebrew term meaning "bitter and clear", a clear reference to the laxative juice taste and gel appearance, both extracted from the fleshy leaves of this succulent plant.

Aloe awesome or terrible (Aloe f erox) - a powerful plant with a single stem, in nature reaches 2 m in height, grows up to 45 cm in a pot. Thick fleshy leaves with reddish-brown thorns all over the surface, which make it warty. mature plant forms a branched spike-shaped inflorescence of red flowers.

The use of aloe by man is very ancient, so that knowledge of its health and medicinal properties - mainly due to the use of juices and cellulose extracted from the leaf and rich in active ingredients - is very wide and spread. Numerous studies are currently underway on the clinical use of aloe. But let's look a little better at this extraordinary and magical plant so beneficial to health.

Impact and soil selection

Aloe is an ideal houseplant as it requires little watering, maintenance and special care. It prefers sunny places, but also tolerates shade and suits dry and arid lands. As the most common succulents, aloe is also characterized by some indiscreet qualities, such as.

All cultural species of this succulent are successfully used for landscaping apartments, terraces, shop windows. Aloe is indispensable for creating miniature compositions and rocky slides.

plant care

Location: all kinds of aloe light-loving plants. They are usually given the sunniest places on the windowsills. Grows well on West and East windows. At the South window, during the hottest hours in summer, you will need shading from direct sunlight.

Large facility growing in containers; in the ground only thrives in the hottest places on the peninsula, limited requirements for fertilizer, irrigation and pesticide treatment, remarkable longevity, low price, but proportional to the size of the instances. Found in warm and semi-desert areas where they are exposed to direct sunlight, Aloe wants fully lit environments: in an apartment, it should be placed at points of maximum brightness, such as next to a south-facing window.

It can only be grown in a garden in southern coastal areas, however, it should be placed in sunny locations well protected from the wind, and this is because plants grown in low light conditions deteriorate rapidly. The growing medium should be medium fertile, but above all light and well-draining, which is able to ensure the rapid depletion of excess water, which should also be encouraged by placing a layer of inert materials on the bottom of the pot.

Temperature: aloe - enough unpretentious plant to growing conditions. There is no need to create a special microclimate for it. In winter, the dormant period is at 10-15 ° C, but it can hibernate at room temperature.

Watering: aloe should be watered 1-2 times a week from spring to mid-autumn, allowing the earthy coma to dry out between waterings, in winter period watered 1-2 times a month with soft water. But if the air in the room is too dry, watering is not reduced, but they are carefully monitored so that the water in the pan does not stagnate.

Remember that the greatest damage is almost always due to the accumulation of water in the substrate. The composition of the correct mixture is as follows: 50% universal soil; thirty% river sand, not calcareous; 20% finely ground mineral material. Aloe has always been considered "magical" because it is said to bring health and well-being at home. This is a plant that is self-forming, that is, it is able to restore dry or damaged parts of its leaves. enriched with important substances, perhaps to compensate for the fact that he has to live in desert areas in very difficult conditions.

Air humidity: easily tolerates dry air, but it is necessary Fresh air– In summer, the room should be ventilated.

Top dressing: during the period of active growth from April to September, aloe should be fertilized once a month with a weak solution mineral fertilizer or fertilizer for cacti and succulents. In winter, during the dormant period, the plant is not fed.

An aloe plant at home is a joy to the eye and can help solve a lot of small problems, making it suitable for all rooms in the house, including bedrooms. Aloe, especially in the juvenile phase, grows quickly, so it is necessary to change the pot on each vessel. The container should always be higher than its width, given the tendency of the radical apparatus, although not very ramified, to deepen.

The demand for water is modest. However, one should not think that aloe can grow well without moisture: the disadvantage indicates that it causes dehydration of leaf tissues, therefore a reduction in biologically active substances. You must intervene differently depending on the period.

Transfer: young aloe are transplanted annually, adults - after 2-3 years if necessary. Recommended earth mixture from sod land, leafy land, humus and sand (2: 1: 1: 1) with the addition of red brick crumbs and charcoal. All types of aloe can also be grown hydroponically.

Reproduction: aloe can be propagated in several ways: basal shoots, apical and stem cuttings, as well as seeds. After the cuttings are cut off, the sections must be dried for 1-2 days and then powdered with crushed charcoal. Root shoots and cuttings are planted in a substrate of sand and peat (1: 1), deepening them by 1 cm. The cuttings are not sprayed, they are not covered with a glass jar and watered quite rarely. As soon as they take root, watering is increased. It can also be propagated by purchased seeds in April at a temperature of 22-24°C.

Pests: rarely affected by diseases and pests, but sometimes scale insects can settle on aloe. A gruel of garlic and soap with the addition of water will help get rid of pests, with which you need to wipe the leaves from time to time.

Growing aloe is not difficult and rarely involves insurmountable difficulties. It is enough to observe general recommendations for the cultivation of succulent plants in order to successfully cultivate the vast majority of the representatives of the genus.

Article date - 24.01.2009.

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