Question about aloe vera?

Question

My friend gave me a pot of aloe vera today.

1) What are the uses of aloe?

2) How frequently do you water it?

Thanks

Answer 1

1. You can use it as a face wrap(not sure how you call it. Some people smear mud on their faces and bodies and believe their skin will look better. That's the thing I am trying to say.)  Pick a leaf and remove both side of the skin. You'll get a clear-colored, slime-looking thing. Put it on your face or arm for a few minutes. It it feels stingy, remove right away. Some people are allergic to it.  Do not cook or eat it since some people would have strong reaction to it once taken orally.

1. It does not need much water.  Its thick leaves retain a lot of water in it so it is built to survive hot and dry condition.  Just give it a little water more than you would give a cactus.

Warning: This plant is a survivor and is very good at spreading out. Keep it in a pot. Don't plant it in the ground in your yard.  (If you have to, plant it in the ground with the pot.) You will see a bunch of it like the way ground cover plants spread out.

Answer 2

I know that aloe vera can be used on sunburn. The weird gelly-stuff that comes out can be put on sunburn and it really helps. You should give it enough water to soak the soil, and then wait until the soil is completely dry again to give it more water.

hope this helps =)

Answer 3

Apart from medicinal uses there are various cosmetic benefits and uses of aloe vera plants. Aloe vera gels are now widely used in all the skin care products and cosmetic products as ingredients. Also widely used in lift masks, medicated jelly, facial cleansing wash, medicated cream, moisturizers, heat rub and the list is endless.

Aloe vera is not a drug nor medicine but seeing benefits and usage of aloe vera plants and gel, people are bound to get benefited from the aloe vera plants.  The gel is a mixture of antibiotic, coagulating agent, cell growth stimulator, astringent, pain inhibitor and scar inhibitor. All these combines and gel to make aloe vera gel a medicinal plant.

various benefits and usage of aloe vera plants when taken internally helps to cure - arthritis, insomnia, ulcers, infection, hemorrhoids, indigestion, constipation, heartburn and apart from these there are many more.

When taken externally benefits and usage of aloe vera plant lies in curing- sprains, burns, bruises, sunburn, cold sores, scalds, sore muscles, psoriasis, abrasion, eczema, scrapes, acne, stings and many more.

Most important point to be remember while using soil for growing aloe vera plants is the soil should be moderately fertile and fast draining as aloe vera plant it self contains lot of water and it will wilt if the soil is not fast draining.As aloe vera plants are very succulent in nature and contain lot of water in their leaves and roots. So growing aloe vera plants in winter season or taking care of aloe vera plants in winter needs knowledge and experience. As in winter the plant will become dormant and will take very less moisture. Watering of the aloe vera plant should be minimal in this season until you don’t find the soil to be completely dry don’t water the aloe vera plant.

Answer 4

Aloe vera is mainly a medicinal herb, Its used in pharmaceutical as well as Cosmetic Industry. Coming to its water requirement it depends on the season. i.e. in summer it requires more frequently & in rainy & winter less frequently.

Answer 5

1) Aloe has been well known for centuries for its healing properties, and both oral intake and topical dressings have been documented to facilitate healing of any kind of skin wound, burn, or scald - even speeding recovery time after surgery.  Situations to try it on include blisters, insect bites, rashes, sores, herpes, urticaria, athlete's foot, fungus, vaginal infections, conjunctivitis, sties, allergic reactions, and dry skin. The raw plant is best, but commercial preparations can also be used, especially for taking orally, as this plant tastes horrible.  Other topical uses include acne, sunburn, frostbite (it appears to prevent decreased blood flow), shingles, screening out x-ray radiation, psoriasis, preventing scarring, rosacea, warts, wrinkles from aging, and eczema.  

2) Aloe Vera plants are very easy to care for and easy to grow in frost-free climates – either as houseplants or outdoors. However aloe vera plants do need a lot of sunlight, so it’s best to place them in a sunny spot, or near a window that gets lots of sunlight. A common mistake that many people make is the tendency to over-water. Remember these plants are succulents. They hold water in their leaves and root system to cope with long periods of drought, so they need less water than you might think.

You can buy aloe vera plants at most plant stores and nurseries. Be sure the pot has good drainage and don't water it too often: overwatering aloe vera plants may cause the spongy leaves to rot at the base of the plant. And do allow container grown plants to dry out before you re-water. The plants often become dormant in winter.

Small plants often have white marks on the leaf which disappear as the plant grows. Once the plants are large enough to handle, you should transplant them into larger containers, then increase the pot sizes as they grow larger. It comes to full maturity at about 4 years, although they do grow rapidly. Maybe start with a fair-sized, relatively mature plant which can be as tall as 2 feet.

Some leaves droop on the aloe plant as they age, so you can simply cut the lower leaves away from the stem with a sharp knife. Aloe vera plants also produce many pups – or offshoots of the plant – which tend to grow around the base of the plant. You’ll need to take these out gently and replant them, when they are 3-4 inches high, so they don’t cause the mother plant too much stress. Sometimes the pups can make the aloe plant spread its leaves horizontally rather than vertically. The pups also make lovely gifts for your friends and family.

Good Luck taking care of your aloe vera plant