Aloe vera: A Miracle Plant
Aloe vera: A Miracle Plant
Aloe vera is a monocot, succulent, stemless, or
with a very short plant belonging to the family Liliaceae and the genus Aloe.
The leaves are thick and fleshy with colors ranging from dark green to light
green and some varieties also show white flecks on the surface. The margin of
the leaves is not smooth with serrated white teeth like spines. The plant
produces flowers during summer after 2-3 years of planting. The flowers are
produced on a spike-like inflorescence that can grow up to 90 cm in length,
each flower being pendulous, with a yellow to orange color tubular corolla of 2–3 cm long.
Aloe vera is a beautiful and attractive plant with
numerous benefits. They are rich source of vitamins like vitamin A (beta-carotene), C, and E, which are antioxidants. It
also contains vitamin B12, folic acid,
and choline, minerals (calcium,
chromium, copper, selenium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc),
enzymes ( alkaline phosphatase,
amylase, carboxypeptidase, catalase,
cellulase, lipase, and peroxidase), monosaccharides sugars (glucose and fructose) and
polysaccharides sugars(glucomannans/polymannose),
fatty acids, hormones, etc.
Aloe vera has become very popular among people as
an indoor plant due to its beautiful
and luxuriant leaves and flowers. It has also gained popularity as it is easy
to care for and its ability to sustain under partial sunlight and also its
ability to purify indoor air by removing the toxins from the air. The addition
of few Aloe vera plants in your living area as home décor will not
only purify the air but it will also make your room look very fresh and lively.
There are
numerous benefits of Aloe vera to humankind. Some are listed below:
1) Aloe vera as an immunity
booster
Consumption of Aloe
vera juice can boost immunity. The Aloe vera juice is a rich source of
micronutrients that can help to fight against free radical damage in the body,
further boosting immunity.
2) Aloe
vera has anti-aging property
Extracts of Aloe
vera is an important ingredient of many face creams, face wash,
lotions, etc. available in the market. The extracts of Aloe vera are known to
increase the production of collagen in the body that will help in tightening
the skin and reducing the visible signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles.
3) Aloe vera has antiseptic property
Aloe vera is an age-old medical plant used by
humans. The extract of the plant is applied to cuts and wounds. Antiseptic
agents like salicylic acid, urea nitrogen, cinnamonic acid, phenols, sulphur,
etc. are present in Aloe vera that has an inhibitory effect on bacteria, fungus,
and viruses.
4) Aloe
vera for hair
Aloe vera extracts are rich in some proteolytic
enzymes that can repair the damaged cells of the hair. Aloe vera is a key
ingriedient of many herbal shampoos and oil. Massaging Aloe vera gel on your
scalp on regular basis will prevent hair fall and also it will make your hair
silky and shiny.
5) Aloe
vera for sunburn and skin irritation
Many studies have
shown that Aloe vera can cure mild sunburn or any kind of skin irritation.
Also, Aloe vera oil can moisturize the skin, and the skin to peel off
that generally happens due to sun damage. Aloe vera gel can directly be
applied to cure rashes on the skin. Simply apply the gel to the affected area,
the gel will give a cooling effect thus reducing the irritation on the skin.
6)Aloe
vera as a natural laxative
Aloe vera is considered a natural laxative and
helps indigestion. Consumption of Aloe vera juice will give a cooling
effect to the stomach in addition to curing digestive ailments like
constipation and diarrhea.
7)Aloe
vera helps in weight loss
Regular
consumption of Aloe vera juice helps to lose weight by clearing out the toxins
from our body and cleaning our digestive system. Aloe Vera also helps in
boosting our body metabolism, hence burning fat and promoting weight loss.
8)Aloe
vera for oral hygiene
Toothpaste or
mouthwash with Aloe vera extracts available in markets claims to give to fresh
breathe and strong gums and teeth. Aloe vera extract has anti-plaque
and anti-gingivitis properties that help in marinating oral hygiene.
9)Aloe
vera promotes Wound Healing
Aloe Vera has
shown effective wound healing properties by increasing blood circulation to the
affected area. It has been widely used in the treatment of burns, cuts, insect
bites, and eczema.
10)Aloe
vera can increase shelf life
Certain fruits
and vegetables when they are coated with Aloe vera gel increase their shelf
by preventing the growth of fungus and bacteria, thus protecting them from
being spoiled. Fruits and vegetables that are very perishable like tomatoes,
citrus, cucumbers, etc. can be coated with Aloe vera get to increase their
shelf life.
A guide for growing Aloe vera commercially:
Climate
Aloe Vera is a tropical crop and thrives in
different climate conditions. It can be cultivated easily in dry regions, with
low rainfall, and in warm, humid conditions. Aloe vera plant is
sensitive to frost and cold climatic conditions. This plant is suitable to grow
in areas with low rainfall, and Aloe vera can be grown in cold areas under
protected conditions.
Soil
Aloe vera can be grown in a wide variety of soils.
Soil with a pH range slightly acidic up to 8.5 is best suitable to grow the
plant.
Propagation
Aloe vera is commercially propagated by offsets. For planting one hectare of
land, 10,000 offsets are required. The roots of the planting materials can be
treated with fungicides like Carbendazim 0.1% before planting.
Nutrition
About 8-10 tonnes FYM/ha (farmyard
manure/hectare) should be applied before the land preparation. N:P: K @ 35 kg N:70 kg P:70 kg per hectare
should be added before the last plowing. 350-400
kg Neem Cake/ ha can apply for controlling termites and other soil pests.
Irrigation
Aloe vera is mainly cultivated as a rainfed crop
but during summer months 4-5 irrigations are required
Plant protection
Aloe vera is hardly attacked by any pest or disease
in the field. However, a proper drainage system should be maintained as under
waterlogging will cause rotting of roots.
Harvest
The crop can be
harvested after 6 – 7 months of planting. Plants are either uprooted or cut
from the base.
Growing Aloe vera as an indoor plant:
Aloe vera can be planted in any suitable pot. The
soil should be well-drained to avoid waterlogging. The potting mixture should
contain some organic matter like vermicompost or cocopeat to provide better
aeration to the roots of the plant. They should be placed in an area that
receives bright but indirect sunlight.
Comments
Post a Comment