A look at Aloe

A look at Aloe.

With the Aloe plants looking so wonderful at the moment we thought we’d take the time to talk about them. Aloe plants are a succulent meaning they store moisture in their leaves which makes them very drought tolerant, doing very well in dry, hot climates. All varieties have thick fleshy leaves with serrated edges, growing up in a rosette from the base of the plant. The striking silhouette they create make them excellent as a focal point in a rockery especially when the flowers appear on the ends of their long stalks.

The Juice inside an Aloe has historically been used to assist in the healing of scrapes and light burns on the skin.

We have two varieties available in store:

Aloe Succotrina grows up to 2 meters tall and vibrant red, tubular flowers cluster on the ends of tall stems above the plant in the winter. It does not need much care and grows very well in pots and planters on the patio.

Aloe Barbadensis is the smaller variety reaching only up to 1 meter tall. This summer flowering Aloe sends up a flower stalk with yellow tubular blooms clustered at the ends. This variety also does very well in pots and planters and is very easy care.

To look after your Aloe plants is very simple: Water deeply every 3 weeks, less in winter, allowing the soil to dry between watering. In spring and summer use a weak solution of balanced fertiliser once a month.