aloe vera
Syn. Aloe perfoliata var. vera, Aloe barbadenses, Aloe elongata, Aloe flava, Aloe vulgaris

Names: Aloes, aloe, aloes, lalwé, lalwa, alwé, lalwès, medecin plant, sabila, aloes des Antilles, aloes des Barbades, laloi, pat laloi, zabila, common aloe, závila, bitter aloes, single bible, sinkle bible, sentebibu, sempervivum, desert lily, plant of immortality, …

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FAMILY

XANTHORRHOEACEAE

 

ETYMOLOGY

The name Aloe comes from the Arabic word "allhoch" and the Hebrew "alal" , which mean "bright, bitter" and vera means "true" in Latin.

 

ORIGIN

Mediterranean Basin.

 

HABITAT

Cultivated or spontaneous in dry regions.

 

DESCRIPTION

Succulent and stemless tropical plant (without apparent stem or with short stem) bearing a bouquet of fleshy leaves, 30-60cm long, with spiny edges and ending in fine points.

The inside of the leaf contains a translucent, mucilaginous "gel".

The part between the outside of the leaf and the gel contains a very bitter yellow juice.

The floral stem emerging from this bouquet of leaves can reach 1m in height and bears a cluster of yellow flowers.

The fruit is an ovoid capsule with a brown winged seed.

Aloe is a magical and medicinal plant.

 

NEEDS

Like all succulents, aloe prefers light, very well-drained and sunny soils, but it can grow in all types of non-asphyxiating soils .

It can tolerate full sun, but partial shade is recommended in the tropics.
Hardiness: 5°C.

Flowering : from January to December between the tropics and summer in a temperate climate.

Altitude : 0-100m.

 

MULTIPLICATION
Seeds or sucker separation

tropical climates

Sowing is done in boxes, in sand and a little potting soil, in a greenhouse, all year round. Water with a mister. The seed germinates in 15-30 days.

The suckers can be collected all year round, they must measure at least 15cm.
Plant them in a mix of potting soil and sand, and avoid full sun until they are well rooted. You can put gravel at the bottom of the pot to ensure good drainage.

 

Mild climate

Sowing is done in boxes, in sand and a little potting soil, in a greenhouse at 21°C. Water with a mister. The seed germinates in 15-30 days.

The suckers can be collected in May-June, they must measure at least 15cm. Plant them in a mixture of potting soil and sand, and put them in full sun if the temperature is 10°C, in partial shade if it exceeds 30°C. You can put gravel at the bottom of the pot to ensure good drainage.

 

Method to get more seedlings

Cut the mother plant 10cm from the ground and remove all the leaves. 40 days later, a multitude of new plants appear, when they reach 15 cm, transplant them.

 

CULTURE

Planting distance: 90 x 70cm.

Minimum winter temperatures are around 5°C. You can hibernate them upside down in bare roots in the garage if your climate is too cold and you have no more room inside.

 

MAINTENANCE

Aloe is an easy-care and undemanding plant. As a succulent plant, it resists drought and fears excess water. It is however necessary to water regularly the first 2 months, to remove the withered leaves and the weeds.

If the leaves are soft, your plant is thirsty.

The leaves are harvested from 2 years after planting, then every 6 months. Cut with a knife at the base the 5-6 oldest leaves.

Yield: 35t/Ha

Drying should be done at 70°C, sun and air drying are not recommended.

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PARASITES AND DISEASES

Aloe is resistant to most insects but can be attacked by nematodes, bugs and aphids.

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USES
 

MEDICINAL USE

Ailments: Asthma, colds, baldness, cuts, scrapes and skin blisters (REC)

Parts Used: Leaves

Manual :

- Against asthma and colds: Peel the leaf and liquefy 1-2 tablespoons (15-30g) of the juice (gel, pulp or mesophyll) in 1 cup (250mL) of water.

Or decoction or infusion with the same proportions (Source: TRAMIL ).

- Against baldness, cuts, scrapes and blisters of the skin: Wash and peel the leaf, take 15-20g (1-2 spoonfuls) of gel and apply it to the skin of the affected area or to the scalp 2 times a day (Source: TRAMIL ).

Dosage:

- Against asthma and colds: Drink 1 cup twice a day (Source: TRAMIL ). 

- Against baldness, cuts, scrapes and skin blisters: Apply to the skin of the affected area or to the scalp twice a day (Source: TRAMIL )

Hazards:

Since asthma is dangerous for health, it is recommended to consult a doctor beforehand.

For the common cold, if your condition does not improve, see a doctor.

Do not administer during pregnancy, breastfeeding or to children under 5 years old.

Do not use for prolonged periods and do not exceed the recommended doses.

Any medicinal preparation must be kept cold and used within 24 hours.

 

ORNAMENTAL USE

Very nice indoor plant. Can be planted as an isolated subject or in a rocky bed.

 

FOOD USE

Drinks.

 

OTHER USES

After sun, rooting hormone (because the gel contains salicylic acid).

It is also a healing agent, tissue repairer, anti-stress (lack of water, heat, heavy metals, pest attacks, etc.) , plant stimulator and protector and even a wetting agent. 

Aloe vera has become a staple in the toolkit of organic growers.

 

ANECDOTES

In the West Indies, the yellowish juice that flows when a leaf is cut was applied to the thumbs of children to prevent them from sucking it or biting their nails. Women also put it on their nipples to wean their children.

 

According to Egyptian legend, it is said that Cleopatra's eyes owed much of their legendary radiance to eye drops made from aloe, and that the secret to the beauty of Nefertiti's skin and complexion lay in her daily baths of donkey's milk and aloe pulp.

It would have been used to make the elixir of youth.

 

QUOTE

"  Four plants are essential to human well-being: wheat, grapes, olives and Aloe.

The first nourishes him, the second elevates his spirit, the third brings him harmony and the fourth heals him.  »
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506)

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RECEIPTS

Anti-burn dressing
Cut thin strips of Aloe flesh the size of a bandage, wrap them separately with stretch film and put them in the freezer. Quick effect!

 

Aloe Juice (1L)

Ingredients :

• 20cm of Aloe leaf

• 1 lemon

• 1 tablespoon of honey

• 600ml of quality water

 

Preparation time: 5min

Manual : 

Peel the Aloe vera leaf using a knife. Start by removing the prickles, then the rest of the green skin.

The green skin and yellow juice are poisonous. So remove all the skin, then take the gel and pass it under water to rinse it well.

Place the Aloe gel in the bowl of the blender, pour over the juice of half a lemon and add the honey.

Pour over the spring water and mix everything.

Serve immediately or pour into a sterilized airtight bottle to store in the fridge.

 

Warning: Product not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under 12 years old. Any prolonged food use is also not recommended.

 

Aloe vera contains many vitamins, mineral salts and trace elements such as vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, C, E and PP as well as iron, calcium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, chromium, magnesium, manganese, selenium, and zinc. It also contains 7 of the 8 essential amino acids.

 

Recipe proposed by https://cuisine-saine.fr/recette-crue/comment-faire-jus-aloe-vera/

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SOURCES

• Illustrated flora of the phanerogams of Guadeloupe & Martinique - Jacques Fournet - Ed Gondwana, CIRAD -  T2 P2071

• TRAMIL - 3rd Edition - P41

• Medicinal plants of the tropics - Ed Exbrayat - T1 P18

• My Creole health garden - Dr Longuefosse - Ed Orphie P 193

• Caribbean medicinal plants - Dr Longuefosse - Ed Orphie - T1 P24

• The name of plants - 4th Ed - David Gledhill - Ed Cambridge
• https://www.aloemagazine.com/histoire-aloe-vera/

• https://cuisine-saine.fr/recette-crue/comment-faire-jus-aloe-vera/