Aloe vera

Description

Aloe vera, well known by pretty much everyone is a succulent plant originating from the Arabian peninsulars used for centuries as a medicinal plant healing all manner of ailments, the gelatanus substance insdie each leaf being immediately available as a skin balm.

For us, Aloe veras are highly ornamental plants suitable for growing on a sunny windowsil, in a sunny conservatory or even outdoors during the warmer months.

It will not tolerate frosts so must be brought indoors before these occur, it’s one of those plants that is remarkable for its tolerance of neglect and can survive many months without water; although if you look at our photograph of a mature plant flowering, this is how they can look.  Indeed this plant has spent the last three years growing in my kitchen against a sunny patio door.

So to summarise, Aloe vera is essentially a container plant and can be grown in an open free draining compost.  For best results I like to feed mine through the growing period, spring and summer, with liquid seaweed feed.