Succulent Galary Part 1: Aloe - Family: Aloaceae - Aalwyn (Afrikaans); Aalwee (Dutch)
Aloe - Family: Aloaceae
Succulents have become the “retro” plant for gardening in South Africa due to their low maintenance and minimal water usage. We need hardened plants to survive this arid African landscape. We have over a 155 Aloe species and can be found in all kinds of vegetation.
The Aloe is the ideal plant for the winter garden especially as they brighten the landscape with their bright coloured flowers during this season. They have spiny leaves which are arranged in beautiful rosettes. The larger species make eye-catching statements in your garden with their diversity in shape, form, size and colours.
The Aloe flowers are tubular and generally grouped in a cone-shape. They come in bright hues of yellow, orange, red and pink. There are some species with green and white flowers. Flowering take place in the winter for most Aloes except for a few species like the grass Aloes.
The Aloe Arborescens/kratz Aloe is a spectacular plant to have in your winter garden with its bright red/yellow/orange coloured flowers. It is native to South Africa, is evergreen with low maintenance and a fast grower which can reach a height of up to 3 meters. It has succulent green leaves, bright coloured flowers which bloom in winter. The nectar of these flowers is sweet and attracts bees, birds, butterflies and insects. They thrive in the mountains and rocky areas.
All photos were taken with a Samsung Galaxy S7.
I'm an aloe lover too. I would like to cultivate it but I don't think it survives in Italy. upvoted and follow :)
You don’t take a photograph, you make it @crazymumzysa
These are some sick plants really cool
Aloe Vera makes a great moisturiser and provides natural relief from Psoriasis and minor rashes, you can take a leaf directly from the then trim the spines from the edges, split the leaf laterally, and apply directly.
The 'packaging' is biodegradable too so you can just throw it into the garden.
Thank you for this handy tip, @neuromancer. I suffer from eczema, and I have used aloe vera before, and it definitely provides some relief. Even more reason for me to promptly go out and buy myself an aloe.
You're most welcome. It's very easy to grow, quite happy in a pot, so long as it has drainage. Put some larger rocks in the bottom above the drain holes then smaller ones then soil, plant, dump more soil around it so the lower inch or less is buried as the soil will settle.
Here's some good tips I just found for you:
Thank you very much!
BTW: it's also good for after burn/sun recovery but not immediately because natural oils are present in it and you should never put lipids (oils/fats/etc) on a burn, but the following day is fine and it really helps recovery.
BTBTW: Aloe Vera juice is also good for irritable bowel syndrome but you must strain & filter out all the flesh because it's a natural laxative and you probably don't want that, unless you do.
Nice
Flower I like post you thnak you
Aloe is a very useful plant. For the body and for the skin!
Really interesting post. Absolutely wonderful to see things from the other side of the world!
Amazing shots
Beautiful pictures :-) thanks for posting info about the plants
I love the flowers growing atop them, the reddish orange and yellow.