Aloe vera is an easy-care plant with special properties: it not only adorns your home with its appearance, but also has various healing effects. In the following you will find out what makes the medicinal plant special, where the ideal location for the plant is and how you can use the healing effects.
Plant of Beauty
Aloe vera originally comes from the Arabian region. Their origin lies in countries where it is very hot in summer and hardly any rain falls. It is therefore important for the plant to be able to store water and nutrients. The aloe vera achieves this through its own moisture storage in the leaves.
The gel of the leaves was already known in ancient Egypt to ensure beauty and health. Aloe Vera was also on board in pots with Christopher Columbus. This is how the healing gel was used to treat the ship's crew.
Favorite place and care
Aloe Vera loves the sun. Therefore, it needs a location with plenty of light, for example the window sill. Otherwise, the plant is quite undemanding in care. It requires hardly any fertilizer and little water. The plant should only be watered when the soil is dry - this is usually every week or two. However, aloe vera is sensitive to waterlogging and frost. In winter, the plant should therefore be indoors and watered less (about once a month). In summer, the aloe vera can be indoors as a houseplant or outdoors on the balcony or terrace.
Aloe Vera as "First Aid Plant"
Aloe vera is known for its healing properties. Externally, the plant helps with skin injuries, skin irritations and sunburn. The gel from the leaves accelerates tissue regeneration, has an anti-inflammatory, soothing and antibacterial effect and can thus heal the affected skin faster. The gel and leaves of aloe vera can also have a healing effect internally as a dietary supplement to strengthen the immune system.
Harvesting the leaves
If you want to process the aloe vera leaves, it is important that the plant always keeps around 12 leaves. So she can develop well. As soon as the plant is big enough (after about 2 to 3 years), you can use the lower leaves. To do this, cut the leaf on the side and twist it off so that the wound for the plant is as small as possible. After cutting, drain the yellow gel. This tastes very bitter and has a laxative effect. The sheet can then be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Tips for use
For external use, the aloe vera gel is applied to the affected areas of the skin or the leaf is cut and applied directly. There are different ways to use aloe vera internally – we have a simple and well-known recipe for you here:
Recipe for internal use of aloe vera
- 300 g aloe vera - approx. 1 freshly harvested leaf
- 500 g of honey
- 3-4 tablespoons of cane liquor for preservation
- Crush all the ingredients in a blender, pour into a glass and consume about 2-3 spoons daily before each meal. This mixture will keep fresh for several days in the refrigerator. The aloe vera leaf can either be processed with the peel or filleted - that depends on your own taste (important: drain the yellow gel before processing).
Aloe Vera is not only a good addition to your home, it is also a great addition to your medicine chest.
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