ALOE
(Aloe vulgaris)

Description: Not a cactus. Perennial plant, stiff, erect spikes with clusters of flowers from 2-30 ft. high. Leaves, long, thick, spiny and fleshy, crowded in rosettes at base of stem, ending in sharp point. Leafless stalks bear dense clusters of tube shaped yellow and red flowers which contain jelly-like pulp.

Medicinal: The gelatinous substance inside stalks are: Emollient, cell proliferant, purgative, vulnerary. A treatment for burns, scalds, internal and external ulcers, boils, arthritis, kidney ailments, psoriasis, bad complexion, skin. Used for wounds, ringworm, insect bites. Note: When piece of leaf stalk is broken off, for healing, the part not used will seal off and keep for several weeks. Use a sandy loam soil, indoors, keep repotting it to allow growth. Water when transplanted, wait 3-4 weeks, then once a week. Do not fertilize or over water.

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