- Aloes are succulent (full of juice or sap; having thick, fleshy leaves or stems) plants.
- They belong to the Lily family
- There are more than 150 species of aloe; most are native to South Africa
- Species vary in height from several centimeters to more than 9m (30 ft)
- Aloes have perennial, strong and fibrous roots
- Aloes have numerous, persistent, fleshy leaves, proceeding from the upper part of the root. The leaves are narrow, tapering, thick and fleshy, with spiny teeth at the edges.
- Leaves are designed to retain water and minimize evaporation
- Many of the species of aloe are woody and branching
- In the remote districts of S.W. Africa and Natal, aloes have been discovered 30 to 60 feet in height, with stems as much as 10 feet in circumference.
- Several species are commercially imported as the source of the aloes used in medicine and cosmetics.
- The sap of some aloe plants can be processed for medical use.
- Powdered aloe juice is a laxative, and aloe vera gel soothes burned and frozen skin
- Aloe provides some 200 bio-active components, including 20 essential amino acids.
(info by Independent Enriching Gifts member DKT Enterprises 6/2001)
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