Aloe Vera - a Staple of the Medicine Garden

Aloe Vera is a tender perennial which is why I grow mine in a pot. I can move the pot into the Greenhouse in the winter. It will survive a Houston winter outside, but it won't make through a Brenham winter unless it is protected.

Aloe Vera will flower. It shoots up a long stalk with yellow flowers all along the stalk. The flowers are edible. Pick them and eat them before they are fully open.

Aloe has been used used as a healing herb since the dawn of time. It speeds up the regeneration of cells in plants and animals. To apply it, cut off a leaf from the plant and apply the gel topically. It can also be split lengthwise and used as a poultice. Use it for cuts, abrasions, sunburn, poison ivy rash, and burns. It can be taken internally for constipation, stomach problems, mouth ulcers, and a poor immune system. Some African tribes rub it on their skin before a hunt to remove the human scent.