Aloe flower: home care and main varieties

A herbaceous and perennial plant is an aloe flower. Everyone heard about him, and in almost every house he can be found on the windowsill. But how to care for him and how to achieve that this decorative flower, a resident of Africa, feels great at home, not everyone knows.

Flower description

Aloe care at home is simple, more on that below, and now a brief description of the plant. Aloe, agave belong to the Liliaceae family. The most common form in the house is a tree-like shrub.

The plant itself has a stem with fleshy leaves located on it, bent and with spikes along the edge. Subject to all conditions, knocks out an arrow with scarlet flowers. But most often it is a decorative succulent plant in which leaves are collected in a basal rosette, dark green, fleshy. Plant shape, size depend on a particular species.

Aloe is an ancient plant

Aloe is a homemade flower, known since ancient times for its healing properties, since it contains many useful compounds and vitamins. It is used in folk medicine in recipes against colds and for the treatment of wounds and burns. The benefits are great for skin and hair in folk masks. It is a natural antibacterial and antiviral agent, and the leaves have a bright but mild laxative effect.

Common varieties

In nature, there are about 400 species and varieties of aloe. But the most common varieties of aloe are as follows:

• tree-like - shrub, in natural conditions reaches a height of up to 3 m. It is often called the agave;
• aloe spinous - small succulent, has a sharp edge of a leaf collected in a rosette, the flower has a bright and striped color;
• motley aloe reaches a height of not more than 30 cm, and its color corresponds to its name. The spotted sheet can be covered with specks and stripes of dark light colors. It is also called tiger aloe;
• quiver aloe - cockerbum, or a trembling tree that grows to a height of 9 m. It is he who is called the symbol of the south of Namibia;

Aloe tree is most often found in apartments

• folded - a bush or a small tree, not more than 3-5 m with a short, highly branched trunk;
• Aloe vera grows in the vast expanses of the Mediterranean, has a low shoot, but fleshy leaves. That it is most often used in traditional / alternative medicine;
• the smallest, not exceeding 10-12 cm aloe, is called the Descoingsi variety;
• Aloe is awesome - a massive shrub reaching 2 m or more in height, with thick and fleshy leaves decorated with reddish-brown spikes along the edge.

Awesome aloe striking in size

These are the most common and famous aloe species, but not the only ones.

Home Care

How to care for aloe? Everything is quite simple here, but also complicated at the same time, because this plant came to Russia from arid and hot countries. But with proper care, a roomy prickly handsome man will delight with his color.

Watering

Aloe care begins with proper watering. Spend it after the surface of the soil in the pot dries, but this is in the summer. If the calendar is winter, watering is less common. It is watered so that water does not get into the outlet itself, and when it spills into the pan, let the plant stand like this for about 10 minutes, after which the remainder must be drained.

The drought is not terrible for the flower, because the foliage of the plant, the fleshy mass absorbs a sufficient amount of it, and even if left for a week without water, it certainly will not suffer. It is important not to go too far with water in winter.

Lighting

Aloe cultivation provides adequate lighting. This is a photophilous plant, so it is recommended to place it on the south side of the apartment or house. The main thing is to avoid direct sunlight in order to avoid burns of foliage. If we talk about winter lighting, then there is little natural light, so artificial lighting with fluorescent lamps or fluorescent lamps is permissible.

With proper lighting, the plant will delight with bright greenery.

Temperature and humidity

Almost every specialized description of aloe vera care in the literature also includes such important factors as humidity and temperature. With regard to humidity, the flower is not fundamental, it calmly transfers both moist and dry air in the room.

When growing a flower, temperature is more important. In the winter months, the plant feels comfortable at 12-14 ° C. This provides him with a period of rest.

Soil and fertilizing

As for the composition of the soil, you can buy the land already ready in the store and add some charcoal and crumbs of brick to it. If you cook on your own, mix turf, leafy soil, sand and humus in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1. Coal is also worth adding to the mixture. The pH of the earth is slightly acidic.

It is worth feeding the plant from mid-spring to the first frosts with an interval of 3-4 weeks as necessary. After the plant enters a dormant state, fertilizers are not applied.

A young plant is transplanted every year, but for an adult, every 2-4 years, depending on its size. Pots should be chosen deeper, and laying on the bottom of the drainage layer is mandatory.

Potted Flower Care Examples

Speaking about how to care for aloe in a pot at home, there are a number of tips. In early May and the very end of October, before the first frost, it can be taken out to the street, courted according to the rules described above. The main thing is to understand that 80% of the flower consists of liquid, so even the first light frosts will adversely affect it.

Maintenance in winter provides for a period of rest: a minimum of watering and no feeding. At this time, it is in a state of sleep, so it is not worth disturbing it again. The question is, is it worth trimming aloe, there is a simple answer: if it is tree-like, high varieties, then yes. This will stimulate the growth of side shoots and rejuvenate the plant.

It is important to know which diseases and insects are harmful to the plant. Most often, it affects:

• root rot. It spoils the root system, and the plant rots. The reason is an excess of moisture. If detected, it is worth transplanting the plant or rooting young shoots;
• dry rot is already the opposite pathology that occurs due to lack of moisture. In this case, the plant dries from the inside and save it is almost impossible;
• scale shield. It sucks out all the juices from the plant, and this leads to its weakening and wilting. To combat it, you can treat the plant with a solution of vinegar or store preparations, following the instructions;
• spider mite is a small reddish spider that braids the plant with cobwebs. Against it, it is worth treating the plant with infusion of tobacco and soap, rinsing under running water. If you cannot remove it in 2-3 treatments, it is worth resorting to store preparations.

Aloe bloom

Many owners believe aloe bloom is a rare occurrence, and a prickly doctor blooms once every 20-30 years. But, if all the conditions of detention are met, the plant will accept the artificial habitat as natural and will bloom often and plentifully. Often, only one arrow is knocked out in the upper bosom of the leaves. A blossoming flower contains a large amount of nectar, so it has a bright and very rich aroma. For the most part, it resembles bell flowers, but narrower and elongated.

How to achieve aloe bloom

Reasons why it does not bloom

Aloe blooms under all conditions of detention, but there are a number of reasons why it may not take out buds for a long time:

• the plant is still young;
• lack of natural / artificial lighting;
• excessive waterlogging or improperly selected substrate;
• he was not transplanted for a long time;
• humidity is too high in the room;
• lack of early and full wintering and dormancy;
• defeat by one or another disease.

And most importantly - sufficient daylight hours.

Aloe blooms quite beautifully

Breeding methods

Aloe can be propagated both by seeds and by cuttings. The first method as such is troublesome, but even a beginner will cope with the second one.

Seeds

At the very beginning, a drainage layer is formed at the bottom of the pot, then a layer of nutritious and light earth, into which seeds are sown. Sprinkle with soil is not worth it, just spray it from the spray bottle and cover it with glass or film, airing it once a week. The flowerpot should be protected from direct sunlight, the temperature regime needs to be done within 20 ° C.

Seedlings are planted in individual flowerpots a month after the appearance of sprouts. Subsequent transplants are performed every 3 months. After provide care as an adult plant.

Kids

In the spring, children are separated from the mother bush, young shoots with a part of the root system are planted in separate containers. While the plant takes root, it is sheltered from direct sunlight, and after the aloe has taken root and grows, they provide care like an adult plant.

Thus, aloe is not so difficult to care for. It is not for nothing that they keep him in every other apartment. Not only does it look spectacular and unusual, it also brings huge benefits in the treatment of various diseases.