Aloe, Aloe! This succulent needs no introduction. Nevertheless, please all rise for Aloe Vera. This plant could quite possibly be the most loved succulent houseplant known to humankind. It is also well known for its use in medicinal and cosmetic products. Talk about a hero amongst plants.

Aloe Vera is an evergreen perennial originating from the Arabian Peninsula and grows wild in many tropical climates around the world.

Aloe Vera is easy to grow even for those with the blackest of thumbs! Here are a few tips to get you on your way.

Planting:

You should use a pot that is about as wide as it is deep. If your Aloe Vera plant has a stem, choose a pot that is big enough to plant the whole stem in the soil. Ensure that the pot you choose has at least one drainage hole. Use a well-draining potting mix. The bottom leaves of your Aloe plant should rest just above your mix.

Watering:

Completely drench your Aloe’s soil and allow the water to drain freely. You should allow the soil to dry out before watering again. Easy-peasy: water, drain, let it dry out, repeat.

Environment:

If your plant is indoors, it will need as much light as possible. If it’s not getting the amount of light it needs the stems will begin to droop down.

Flowers:

Flowers consist of yellow and orange tubular blooms dangling from the top of a stiff flower stem. Only mature plants of 4 or more years old will bloom. So if you don’t see any flowers on your Aloe plant it may not be mature enough. Tell it to start cleaning its room and to get a job and it should mature pretty quickly.

Pests:

There is a mite that is particular to Aloe plants called the aloe mite, but if your plant lives indoor it is highly unlikely to become infested.

Did you know?

In ancient Egypt, Aloe Vera was known as the ‘plant of immortality’, and was used as a part of burial rituals. Cleopatra also included the plant in her beauty regimen, using the plant on her body and face.