Aloe vera is one herbal plant which seems to have no other name except the latin (there are earlier latin names, but it’s unlikely you will ever find this plant mis-labeled, if only for “perceived value” reasons). It’s usually grown as a houseplant, although if you live somewhere that doesn’t generally experience frosts, you can grow it outdoors – and even elsewhere, it will appreciate being outdoors during the summer months. If you give it conditions it likes, it may reward you with a long spike of flowers.

Wherever you live, buy the biggest plant you can afford, because the plant is just a rosette of leaves, and you need to cut off whole leaves when you need to use it. When buying your plant, check it carefully to ensure it doesn’t have scale insects (tiny little lozenge shaped beasts usually found stuck to the underside of the leaves) – as these are very difficult to eradicate – or red spider mite (even tinier, red spider-like creatures). The mites can be put off by misting the plants regularly, or you can get a predator mite – but it’s difficult and expensive to use these on a single plant. Plants grown outdoors are very unlikely to suffer from them – their full name is “greenhouse red spider mite” (Tetranychus urticae).

Aloe vera is a succulent plant (like a cactus), and requires the same growing conditions as other succulents. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that succulents never need watering – they do. In the growing season (summer), they need watering regularly, even twice a week or more if the soil dries out that quickly. Check the soil before watering, and don’t water them if it is still moist.

Unless you buy your plant from an organic source, before using Aloe vera medicinally, take it out of the pot and shake off as much of the compost as possible, then repot it straight away into standard cactus compost (or a mixture of two thirds ordinary potting compost and one third horticultural grit or uncolored aquarium grit) and grow it on for a season so that any chemicals in the plant have a chance to dissipate.

Edit: Do not take aloe internally for long periods. A recent study has shown that extended internal use leads directly to colon cancer.

Aloe vera is not suitable for internal use by pregnant women, or anyone suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or hemorrhoids.

The best use for home grown Aloe vera is as a sort of emergency bandage. It won’t stop bleeding, but it will soothe and help to heal small cuts and grazes, burns and skin disorders, forming a protective coat over the area and helping to prevent infection. You can pull or cut off one of the outer leaves, cut it open down the middle from top to bottom, and use the gel inside the leaf in the same way you might use ointment or cream. Obviously, every time you do this, the plant gets a little smaller, so it’s probably best to be a little careful about how often you use it.

This gel, and in particular the yellow sap which you may find at the base of the leaf if you cut it low enough down, is a very strong purgative (which means it will cause the bowels to be emptied completely, usually with gripinig pains). However, there are other laxatives available, so it is probably better to keep your Aloe strictly designated for external use.

As I’ve already pointed out, Aloe vera intended for medicinal use should be grown organically, so that foreign chemicals don’t eliminate or at least reduce its healing properties. To find out more about <a href=”http://www.gardenzone.info/herbs/aloevera.php” target=”_blank”>growing organic Aloe vera</a> visit the Gardenzone.