Perhaps there is not a single person who at least once in his life has not met a plant called aloe. This unpretentious flower is a frequent inhabitant of our window sills. Even those who are not particularly keen on flower cultivation in their apartment, prefer to have a window of this trusted home healer and cosmetologist, a magic wand in case you need to urgently cure colds, wounds, burns, stomatitis, eliminate digestive problems or pimples on the face. Are there many people who have seen aloe flowers? And how many can answer the question with confidence, does aloe in general bloom?
Biological characteristics of plants
Aloe is a numerous genus of succulent perennials, which includes more than five hundred species of various herbaceous, shrubby and tree-like plants with thick fleshy leaves that have the shape of a sword and are covered with thorns. In some species, the leaf length reaches more than half a meter. The plant is able to accumulate moisture in the leaves and at the expense of them for a long time without watering. This feature has developed in the plant due to the fact that the arid African regions are the natural conditions for its growth.
In the wild, this tall plant forms dense thickets. Indoor species are significantly inferior in size to their wild counterparts. Is aloe blooming? The photo below shows a flowering instance.
How often does aloe bloom
In vivo flowering occurs once or twice a year. But does aloe bloom at home? It is believed that this event can happen once every twenty years, and then not always, but only if the plant is provided with proper care. Some plants do not bloom throughout their lives. Perhaps that is why the legend has arisen among the people that the flower of this succulent appears once every hundred years. Because of it, aloe is sometimes called the agave.
Those who had the opportunity to see for themselves whether aloe blooms saw that this process begins with the appearance of a long peduncle. Usually its length is about thirty centimeters, but in some species it reaches eighty centimeters. Large tubular flowers appear on it, collected in inflorescences, which delight the eye for six months.
At the end of flowering, fruits appear in the form of boxes with seeds. Different types of aloe inflorescences are painted in different colors. Consider how the most common species of this plant bloom on our windowsills.
Types of indoor aloe
Among the wide variety of varieties of this plant, the following are most common among gardeners:
- Aloe vera. A plant with a short stem, fleshy, smoky-green leaves collected in a rosette with spikes along the edges. Does aloe vera bloom at home? Yes, but quite rarely. Usually its inconspicuous yellowish-pinkish flowers appear at the end of winter. Whether aloe vera blooms or not, this does not affect its popularity among indoor plant lovers. It is valued primarily for its excellent healing properties.
- Aloe is tree-like. Its xiphoid leaves are gray-green in color. It grows very fast. It looks like a shrub. Inflorescences delight the eye with yellow, pink, red, and sometimes even scarlet shades.
- Aloe motley. Its leaves are tiger-colored and grow in the form of a spiral rosette, without a stem. Does aloe bloom at home? A photo of blooming motley aloe is presented below.Its racemose inflorescences are painted in yellow, pink or fiery red tones.
- Fan-shaped or folded aloe - a bushy plant with a branched stem. At the top of each branch is a large rosette of twelve to thirteen leaves of a rounded shape, painted in gray-green color. The inflorescence appears in the center of the outlet. It has up to thirty red flowers.
- Spinous aloe has leaves with white dots along the edges of the leaf plate. It blooms with brush inflorescences of a red-orange tone, emerging from the center of the outlet.
The flowers of each species contain a lot of nectar, so blooming aloe not only pleases the eye with its appearance, but also has a strong odor that can cause a headache.
Flowering preparation
Having learned the answer to the question whether aloe blooms, many lovers of indoor plants begin to wonder how to achieve this at home. For successful flowering, the plant needs to create suitable conditions.
They begin to prepare for flowering not earlier than when the plant reaches ten years of age. The best time for this is winter. Before flowering, the plant must gain strength, so it needs a period of rest. For this, aloe is left in a fairly cold room with a temperature of +10 to +14 degrees, low humidity and good lighting. It is better to install additional lighting in the room to increase the duration of daylight hours.
It is necessary to water aloe through the pan, pouring in it the settled water at room temperature and putting the pot there for ten minutes. It is not recommended to keep the pot in water longer, so that the roots of the plant do not rot.
Flowering care
After making sure that the plant is ready to bloom, it is placed in completely different conditions.
The air temperature during aloe flowering should be slightly above twenty-three degrees. The location of the plant should be as light as possible. Aloe, unlike most houseplants, is not afraid of direct sunlight, so it can be safely kept on the southern and southwestern window sills.
During flowering, the healing properties of the plant are fully preserved.
At the end of flowering, the peduncle is cut off at the base.
What conditions does a plant need to create in order to achieve flowering from it?
Watering and feeding
As mentioned above, aloe does not tolerate watering from above, only through the pallet. Excess moisture the plant tolerates much worse than its lack. Therefore, in no case should stagnation of moisture be allowed, otherwise the roots will rot. To prevent stagnation in the flower pot, there should be a thick drainage layer of expanded clay, brick chips or small gravel.
So that the soil in the pot is not covered with green bloom, holes are drilled in the bottom before planting to drain excess water into the pan.
In the heat, the plant can be sprayed.
In summer, during the growth period, once a month, aloe can be fed with special mineral fertilizer for cacti. If it is added to water for irrigation, you need to make sure that this mixture does not fall on the leaves. When propagating, the plant is fed after the appearance of sprouts. After transplanting, the culture can be fed only six months later, and if special soil was used for succulents, then you can do without fertilizing for ten months.
Landing
The container for planting aloe should be spacious, best of all - ceramic. The aloe root system grows rapidly and requires a lot of space. A plant is transplanted, as a rule, when it becomes crowded.
For planting use soil for succulents, bought in a specialized store. At the bottom of the pot, drainage is placed, then the soil. The soil is slightly moistened and a plant is planted in it. Immediately after planting, the flower is placed in a cool place out of the reach of direct sunlight. Later transferred to the sunny windowsill.
Aloe is usually transplanted in the spring. Young plants require an annual transplant; old plants can be replanted every two to three years.
Aloe Related Features
Aloe is not only called a "home doctor" for its unique healing properties, but also some signs are associated with this plant. It is believed that it protects the house and the people living in it from damage and the evil eye, gives the inhabitants of the house a long and happy life. And if aloe blooms, it is regarded as a symbol of good luck, happiness and prosperity. People say so: if aloe blooms, it means that an angel has settled in the house.
And it doesn’t matter if you believe in signs. To achieve the flowering of this plant is worth at least for aesthetic pleasure.
Have you ever seen blooming aloe on your windowsill?