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Home | Home & Family | Gardening Many people think aloe vera is a cactus, but it's actually a cousin of the lily and onion family. It has a short stem, with thick spiky green leaves that grow out from the stem like the petals of a rose. It's known as a succulent perennial and usuallly grows to about 2 or 3 foot tall. It is usually found predominantly in hot, dry climates. The leaves of the aloe vera plant can grow to over a foot long and about 3 inches across. The leaves are thick and fleshy and hold a lot of water, which means the aloe vera plant can survive extended periods of drought. In all, there are roughly 200 species of aloe, although the plant that has come to be cultivated the most is Aloe Barbadensis Miller, also known as aloe vera or literally, 'true aloe'. You'll find it growing across Texas, Mexico and around the Mediterranean. The good news is that the aloe vera plant is simple to look after, either indoors or outdoors, as long as it won't be exposed to frost or freezing temperatures. The aloe plants love lots of sunshine, so a light-filled window, or sunny part of your garden would be ideal. However, they don't need a lot of water. One of the easiest ways to kill your aloe vera plant is by over-watering. Remember they are desert plants, and can get by with less water than the other plants in your home. It's quite easy to find aloe vera plants in your area at your local garden center or nursery. Look for a fairly mature plant, and ensure that the pot is adequately drained. You don't want to water it too often, in case the leaves at the bottom of the plant get waterlogged. And allow enough time between watering for the soil to dry out. Some of the smaller aloe vera plants occasionally get white marks on the leaf. This usually fades as the plant matures. Aloes are unlikely to get root-bound, but do place them into larger pots as they grow. They like some room in their containers. A mature aloe vera plant will be about 4 years old may get to be about 3 foot high. The leaves grow from the inside of the rosette towards the outside. Occasionally the larger leaves on the outside will droop, and these can be cut away easily. Once you have an aloe vera plant, you'll have many! You'll find that you'll get lots of aloe vera pups - small plants that grow from the lower part of the main plant. You'll have to remove these gently and re-pot them, or give them to your friends. They make great gifts! If you leave them with the main aloe vera, they can sap too much energy from the main aloe and cause it to wither. With a little care and attention, aloe vera plants can live for many years, and provide a fascinating addition to your home or garden, as well as a wonderful source of aloe vera gel. To obtain this gel, just remove one of the lower leaves, cut it in half along its length, and rub the inner pulp over the affected area of skin. Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Jo Johansson enjoys writing and researching different topics related to natural health and nutrition. For further information on pure aloe vera products, check out AloeandYou.com.
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