Aloe - Cleopatra's Beauty Secret

Aloes are succulent members of the lily family. Many of the 200 species and 150 hybrids bloom during the winter and early spring but there are flowering species for every season. Plants are often stemless with rosettes of thick, fleshy leaves with toothed or spiky margins. Leaves have attractive bands, blothes or spots in grey/white. Plant size varies from under 60cm (2ft) to over 20m (67ft) in A. bainessii, the Tree Aloe. Unlike agaves, which they closely resemble, aloes bloom every year and the plants do not die back after flowering. Blooms are narrow, waxy trumpets arranged closely along tall columns or candelabra stems.

These flower spikes can be shades of scarlet, pink, orange or yellow. They bloom best in full sun outdoors. Many smaller species like Aloe vera grow well indoors but usually don't flower due to lower light levels. Aloes make brilliant features in large containers for the courtyard, balcony, or porch. A sandy, well-draining soil suits them best. Water and feed infrequently as they prefer droughty conditions. They make excellent groundcovers for banks, terraces, hillsides and sand dunes, thriving in salty coastal air. Plants can be divided and off-shoots replanted in spring or after flowering. Leaf cuttings will strike quickly in summer heat. The True Aloe, Aloe vera, was one of Cleopatra's secret beauty ingredients. It is still used extensively today in face and hand creams as well as shampoos. The fresh sap immediately soothes burns and is used in sunburn lotions. This clear gelatinous sap soon dries to form a protective seal allowing healing to take place quickly. Harvest leaves as needed from 2 year old plants. Squeeze juice from the cut end of the leaf and rub into the affected skin for instant relief!