Aloe

Aloe barbadensis miller, or more commonly known as just aloe vera, is the name of a plant best known for its wonderful skin healing properties. Aloe barbadensis is a member of the family Liliaceae. It can also be known as True Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Burn Aloe, Indian Aloe, Chinese Aloe, and even the First Aid Plant. The word vera actually derives from Latin meaning “true” or “genuine.” Aloe barbadensis is native to the Mediterranean region, as well as East and South Africa. However, this plant is extremely adaptable and is now also found in North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia, being first introduced in Asia and Europe during the 17th century. This is one of the oldest known plants used for its medicinal purposes. Did you know that the use of aloe vera can be traced back over 6,000 years to ancient Egypt? Ancient carvings contain images of the aloe vera plant, which they referred to as the “plant of immortality.” It was supposedly given as a gift to deceased pharaohs.

While there are many varieties of aloe vera plants, aloe barbadensis is a short stemmed, or even stemless plant that can grow up to anywhere from 2 feet to a little bit over 3 feet tall. It has thick and fleshy leaves, that are a greenish-gray in color. Some varieties of the plant have white flecks on the upper and lower parts of the leaves. The edges of the leaves are serrated, and actually have small white “teeth” on them. There are flowers that can grow in a spike on the plant during the summer time. The flowers are yellow in color and grow in a tubular shape, growing only from .8 to 1.2 inches long.