Aloe agave - growing, home care, photo

Aloe (Aloe) - a perennial evergreen shrub plant Asphodel family. The homeland of aloe is the tropical regions of South and East Africa. In vivo also grows in Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, the Canary Islands. The genus of aloe has more than 300 varieties: from dwarf, with a height of not more than 10 cm, to giants of 5 meters in height. In indoor conditions, large aloe species can grow up to 1.5-2 m.

The plant belongs to succulents, that is, it is able to store liquid in its own tissues. The leaves of aloe, agave for this reason are very juicy and fleshy. Aloe blooms in nature every year, throwing high peduncles with many tubular flowers of different colors from deciduous rosettes. At home, flowering from an agave is extremely difficult to achieve.

The healing properties of aloe vera

Aloe is a real home "doctor": it has so many useful properties and is so widely used in medicine and cosmetology that it is simply impossible to talk about it in one article.

The plant has an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, immunomodulating effect on the human body, helps with wounds and burns, lowers cholesterol, cleanses the blood, and removes toxins. On the basis of the agave, remedies are prepared for colds, digestive disorders, anemia, liver diseases, etc.

The main benefit of aloe is concentrated in its juice, which is used both externally - for the manufacture of ointments, drops, compresses, and internally - fresh or as part of infusions and rinses.

Aloe vera care at home. Briefly

Aloe vera care at home. In detail

Aloe bloom

The appearance of flowers on a home agave is an extremely rare phenomenon, even in greenhouses, the flowering of this plant is observed only once every 10-20 years.

In order for aloe vera to bloom during indoor cultivation, home care will require special patience and attention: the plant needs to create the most comfortable environment for growth and development over the course of several years.

Temperature mode

Aloe agave at home feels equally good in both coolness and warmth, but the temperature from +20 to + 24 ° C during active growth and about + 12 ° C during rest is most comfortable for it. Fresh air is useful to the agaric, so in warm weather it can be exposed on the open terrace or balcony, shading the plant in particularly hot midday hours.

Spraying

Additionally, it is advisable to humidify the air around aloe vera only in very hot weather. The rest of the time, spraying the plant can provoke rotting of the shoots and the development of fungal diseases on them.

To increase the humidity if necessary, the pot with the plant can be placed in a wide tray with moist expanded clay.

Lighting

A visitor from hot Africa likes bright sunlight, so he should take a seat on the southern windowsill. Plants that are located in well-lit areas during the active growing season look most attractive: they have strong powerful stems and rich green fleshy leaves framed by large thorns. Flowering from aloe vera can only be achieved if it receives enough light throughout life.

Watering

With special attention you need to approach the irrigation of aloe vera. The plant does not cope with excess moisture in the soil, therefore, it should be watered moderately in the summer, before each subsequent watering, waiting for the topsoil to dry out, in winter it is very rare, only to maintain leaf turgor.

When watering, it is necessary to ensure that moisture does not accumulate in leaf sockets, otherwise rotting of the stems may begin, which in advanced cases even leads to the death of the plant.

Aloe pot

The containers in which aloe vera are grown can be of any shape, only their size is fundamentally important for plants. The root system of the flower is quite powerful, and if it does not have enough space in the pot, it immediately adversely affects the appearance of the plant: its leaves are smaller, begin to dry out, the stems are bent, the bush as a whole looks unhealthy. The problem is easily solved by replacing the agave into a pot of a suitable size.

Another requirement for a container for growing is the presence of large holes in the bottom for draining excess water. Good root aeration is a prerequisite for the normal growth and development of aloe.

Agave aloe primer

The agave does not present any special requirements on the composition of the soil. The purchased soil mixture for succulents is perfect for him, but you can also prepare a nutrient substrate on your own.

To do this, mix sod, sheet soil and coarse sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1, add a handful of charcoal there, and when planting provide the plant with good drainage of the roots from expanded clay or broken brick.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

Home aloe vegans are fed only in the phase of active growth (from mid spring to mid autumn). To enrich the diet of the plant, you can use complex fertilizers and top dressing, designed specifically for succulents. The frequency of top dressing is 1-2 times per month. When applying fertilizers, it is important to ensure that they do not fall on aloe leaves, this can trigger the appearance of chemical burns.

Organics are contraindicated for the agave, the plant "grows fat" from it, its leaves become unnaturally "swollen", which spoils the appearance and health of the flower.

Aloe transplant

Young plants are actively building up the root system, so they need a transplant every year, more adult specimens that have reached the age of 4-5 years can be transplanted less often - once every 3-4 years. It is not recommended to disturb the "aging" bushes, it is enough for them to periodically replace the top layer of soil in the pot. The best time for a transplant is early to mid-spring.

A new pot for the agave is selected a quarter more than the previous one. A layer of drainage and a little fresh soil are poured at the bottom of the tank, a plant is placed in the center of the pot, the space around its roots is filled with the remaining soil mixture. Within a few days after transplanting, the earth in the pot is only slightly moistened, then aloe is taken care of as usual.

How to prune aloe agave

With the proper organization of the growing conditions, the aloe flower at home is able in just a few years to turn from a shank into a powerful sprawling bush up to 1.5 m tall. To make the plant look neat, it is recommended to regularly carry out forming pruning of its lateral and apical shoots. This procedure also helps to rejuvenate the bush.

Cut pieces can be used for cuttings or for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. In the case of a complete loss of decorativeness, it is extremely difficult for the agave to return an attractive appearance, so the plant is simply re-rooted and re-grown.

Rest period

Aloe agave sets off with the onset of cold weather. At this time, the plant is taken out in a cool room, where the air temperature does not rise above + 15 ° C, watering is reduced to 1 time in 2-3 weeks. The bush can be left in partial shade, as it does not need additional lighting during the rest period. "Hibernation" aloe ends in early to mid spring.

Aloe propagation by cuttings

Varieties of aloe vera, forming the trunks of any shape, it is advisable to propagate by way of cuttings. Planting material is obtained from pieces of stems taken from the tops or middle parts of shoots.

Cuttings wither for about a day in the air, after which they are sent to root in moist sand or clean water. Cuttings are engaged in the spring. Young plants obtained by this method become decorative approximately a couple of years after rooting.

The stemless varieties of aloe are propagated by the branch of young basal rosettes growing in the bases of the old ones. The rooted rosettes are placed in a moist substrate, they are looked after in the usual aloe mode.

Diseases and Pests

When growing aloe agave, flower growers may encounter the following problems:

• Leaves are fading - the nutrient reserves are depleted in the soil or the plant roots become too crowded in the pot. Agave must be fed or transplanted into a larger container.
• Aloe roots rot - most likely the plant is flooded, or due to lack of drainage in the pot, water stagnates constantly. Rotting can be reported by a loss of decorativeness and a general deterioration in the appearance of the agave.
• The edges of aloe leaves turn yellow and their tips dry - it is possible that the air in the room is too dry or the plant lacks potassium, the same problem occurs when the agave is poisoned with chlorine or tobacco smoke. Depending on the reason - you need to increase the humidity, feed the flower or remove it from the source of toxic substances.
• Aloe is yellowed - the plant is dried or flooded. In addition, it is necessary to check the condition of the soil in the pot, the flower changes the color of the leaves if the soil is too heavy or dense. To help the agave return decorativeness, you can transplant it into a new loose soil and observe the irrigation regime.
• Unusual appearance of leaves - if the agave has “turned pale”, and its foliage has become elongated and lifeless, then the plant does not have enough light, it must be urgently transferred to a more illuminated place.
• Aloe leaves are pale and wilted - irrigation regime is violated, excess moisture accumulates in the soil. Eliminate the problem will help strict adherence to irrigation.
• Agave aloe leaves turn reddish - the plant receives too much light, in particularly hot midday hours, the bush needs to be shaded.

There are not so many pests that pose a serious danger to aloe agave in nature. Among them: spider mites, mealybug, scale insects. The most effective measure to combat them is the use of appropriate insecticides.

Types of homemade aloe with photos and names

Aloe tree, agave, sabur

The most popular plant variety in our country. Aloe tree - a shrub that grows under natural conditions up to 3 meters high, with a room content reaching a height of 1.5 m. The stems of the agave are upright, branched, leaves are juicy, dull green, with short spines along the edges, can reach a length of 60 cm.

The inflorescence is multifloral, racemose, on a long (almost meter) peduncle. The petals of the flower are slightly bent outward, yellow on the inside, and red on the outside.

Folded aloe, or aloe plectatilis

In nature - a shrub or tree up to 5 m tall. The trunk is short, forked, branching, leaves of an unusual shape for aloe - belt-shaped, narrow and long (up to 30 cm in length), with a smooth surface of a bluish-green hue, do not form rosettes, are located opposite, all in one plane.

The inflorescence is multiflorous, racemose, peduncle about half a meter long, flowers are yellow with red cylindrical perianths.

Aloe Marlot

A large, unbranched shrub that naturally grows to a height of 4 m. The leaves are fleshy, lanceolate, silver-blue in color, up to 1.5 m in length. On the edge of each sheet there are many cloves of red or brown.

The inflorescence is multiflorous, racemose, on a peduncle up to 80 cm long. The flowers are saturated red or orange.

Aloe motley, or tiger aloe

Miniature succulent about 30 cm high with short stems holding lush root rosettes of leaves. The leaves themselves are fleshy, triangular-lanceolate, saturated green in color with small white spots all over the surface.

The inflorescence is multifloral, racemose, on a peduncle up to 30 cm long. The flowers are yellow with perianths of all shades of red.

Aloe vera, aloe vera, aloe barbados

Medium grassy succulent up to 70 cm tall, forming lush basal rosettes of serrated leaves. The leaves themselves are narrow and almost erect, having a bluish-green hue.

The inflorescence is multifloral, racemose on a peduncle about 60 cm long. The flowers are large, bright red in color.

Aloe beautiful

Small stemless succulent (about 15 cm tall), forming many basal rosettes from long, very narrow, almost upright leaves.

The inflorescence is multiflorous, racemose, on a peduncle up to 60 cm long. Flowers are orange-red or coral in color.

Watch the video: Wonderful Plantation project -Aloe and Agave (April 2024).