Aloe Vera commits suicide

[capney]

It must have got a bit top heavy and gravity took over.
Result was one busted up plant.
I did manage to salvage a few babies from the carnage so all is not lost.
And. I managed to extract about 200ml of precious Aloe Vera from the stems which is now in a pump bottle in the fridge.

[thymelord]

Perhaps you should have called it goodbye vera Robert looks like there's plenty of viable plantlets there.

[kedigato]

I also think that you will be able to save a lot, Robert.

I guess you used the whole mother plant if you got 200ml? I think I would have repotted it as well as the babies.

I~ve found that the Pheasant Aloes also tend to get top/heavy. Mine need repotting now, am thinking of putting both of them in a large flatish bowl rather than a pot, in the hope of giving them more stability.

[DAG]

I don't have that problem as I have the other type of Aloe Vera, but have had it for years and each couple of years I pull it apart and give it hell to break it into different pieces and repot each (in addition to the babies) and they always seem to bounce back so I have supplied daughters and neighbours from just one original plant. They did take serveral months to recover though.

[capney]

I do have a second plant about the same size as this one, so as you say before long there will be a Aloe Jungle in the consevatory!
I have to admit when I burnt my arm that stuff really, really did help to ease the pain and aid healing. Its amazing stuff

[DAG]

Yes, and it is also good for animals too and the vet thoroughly approves as it is of course a natural product.

[pete]

They do get top heavy, dont they Robert.

I'm interested Dag, whats, "the other type of aloe vera".

Can you show us a picture?

[DAG]

[victoria]

Mine which I brought from the IoW and has been in the ground here now for 8-9 years looks more like DAG's and needless to say is quite large and flowers beautifully.

It is invaluable as a medicament. When required, I just break a bit off, use it then put it in a plastic baggy and put it in the fridge for later use .... fortunately I usually have to throw it away and the incidents are far and few between for both man and beast! As DAG says, it's good for animals as well as Witch Hazel.

[pete]

Hi Dag, it looks the same to me.

Its one of those succulents that goes through a juvenile stage with the leaves all in one plane.
There is a name for this kind of growth but it escapes me at the moment.

As the plant becomes adult the leaves become spaced radially around a central stem and it can flower from then onwards.

[DAG]

Didn't know that, thanks for the info. pete!

[capney]

Interesting....we learn some stuff in these boxes