The subfamily Xanthorrheaceae unites about 500 species of succulent plants. They are widely distributed in Africa on the Arabian Peninsula. The most famous in Russia are aloe vera (real) and aloe vera (agave), which was cultivated from an African species. For more than three thousand years, aloe-based preparations have been used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes, internally and externally. The plant is recognized as a powerful biostimulant.
Description of aloe, its healing properties, as well as contraindications can be found in many medical works, however, even today modern scientists study the properties of the plant. These flowers can be seen in the collections of many connoisseurs of the beauty of indoor plants. According to experienced flower growers, aloe is unpretentious, does not require complex care, and fits perfectly into any interior.
However, beginners have a number of questions about its cultivation. For example, howthe plant multiplies, how to plant an aloe sprout without a root? In this article we will try to answer these questions.
Popular varieties of aloe
As we have already said, in the home flower beds of our country, the most common tree type of plant is the agave and aloe vera. With good care, tree aloe can reach a height of two meters or more. Its dense and powerful stem eventually covers the lignified layer. On the stem are leaves with a glossy dense plate. They are oval, elongated-lanceolate, forming a rosette in the upper part of the tree.
The sheet plate is painted dark green, sometimes with a bluish bloom. There are plants with a pattern on the leaves. Under the dense skin is juicy pulp, which has a very bitter taste. The composition of the juice of the plant includes substances that irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive system. Under natural conditions, the plant blooms with yellow or orange flowers, which are collected in panicles or brushes. In indoor floriculture, this is extremely rare.
Aloe Vera
In various sources, in the description of aloe vera (or Barbados), which came to us from the Canary Islands, it is presented as a medium-sized plant - no more than a meter in height at home, without a main stem, with fleshy leaves that are covered with thorns on the sides, growing from a basal rosette. In nature, this species can reach four meters in height.
Leaves have fleshy and juicy flesh. Flowers - rather large, six-membered, located on thin pedicels, form a brushcylindrical shape. In room conditions, with proper care, aloe vera can bloom in February-March. This happens quite rarely.
Features of reproduction of aloe
Before you learn how to plant an aloe sprout without a root, you should familiarize yourself with the basic methods of its propagation. Care of this culture, its reproduction should be as close to natural as possible. The soil for the plant must be selected breathable. Therefore, gravel, brick chips or sand are added to the soil. It is necessary to follow the rules of watering: in summer it is enough to moisten the soil once a week, and in winter - after the soil dries out.
The main ways to propagate a home aloe plant include the following:
- Basic shoots or babies at the base of the shoots.
- Propagation of aloe vera, like any other species, by pieces of leaves or cuttings.
- Top (parts of stem with leaves).
Reproduction in different ways
Let's consider the listed methods in more detail. Reproduction by children or shoots is the easiest way, since in this case the process has roots, which greatly simplifies the task. The shoot is at the base of the roots. It is necessary to carefully, trying not to damage the roots, remove a small bush from the pot and transfer it to a separate container with a moistened substrate.
Young plant needs moderate watering every two days. Feeding with nutrientsfor succulents, perform twice a month.
Leaves
Reproduction of medicinal aloe (we posted a photo in the article) can be done using a leaf. To do this, separate a he althy leaf at the base of the plant. Place it on a cloth or paper towel and place it in a dark place until the cut is dry.
Moisten the prepared potting mix. The place of the cut of the sheet is treated with charcoal or activated charcoal, powdered. Then it should be placed to a depth of no more than three centimeters. The soil should be constantly moistened before rooting.
Shanks
Now let's figure out how to plant an aloe sprout without a root. For this, shoots are used, which are located on the side of the mother plant. With a sharp, pre-disinfected knife, they are cut off at the very base. In this case, the process must have at least three pairs of leaves. Slices must immediately be treated with crushed charcoal. After that, the shoot is placed for five days in a dark place to dry.
This can be done outdoors or in the refrigerator by wrapping it in paper. After the appearance of a crust on the cut, you can start planting. But how to plant an aloe sprout without a root? Since aloe belongs to succulents, it is not worth rooting the cutting in water - the process can simply rot. It is more expedient to do this in the soil.
In order to avoid excessive soil moisture, good drainage is necessary, which will not allow moistureaccumulate in the soil. The cutting must be placed in the ground so that the lower leaves barely touch the surface. Small gravel can be poured over the soil to increase the stability of the flower. Then the plant is moderately watered and placed in a warm, bright place: aloe does not need high humidity, and it needs sunlight for better development.
Roots will appear within 2-4 weeks. During this period, proper watering of the plant is important. At the same time, it is advisable to adhere to the basic rule of flower growers - it is better to underfill than overfill. After all, as we have already found out, this culture can withstand a long drought and does not tolerate waterlogging. If you poured gravel on top of the soil to stabilize the cutting, then watering is carried out even less often, since in this case it acts as a mulch, which reduces the amount of evaporated liquid.
The first leaves that appeared from the outlet indicate that the rooting of the cutting was successful. After that, the plant needs a transplant.
Top shoots
Since you already know how to grow aloe from cuttings, the following propagation method will not cause you problems. To do this, cut off the upper process with 6-7 leaves. The tops of the plant can also be rooted in settled water, although most flower growers find rooting in the ground more reliable.
Seed propagation
This is the most time-consuming process. This procedure is recommended to be carried out at the end of February. To do this, you need to create suitable conditions in the room. For example, air temperatureshould not exceed +20 °C. Sowing seeds is done in small and shallow containers. Seedlings are transferred to pots after they grow a little. They are transplanted into larger containers in the spring, next year.
How to transplant aloe at home?
These indoor plants can grow to quite impressive sizes, making transplanting difficult. To transplant such a flower, you must not only know how to do it, but also have certain skills.
Remove the plants from the pot, being careful not to damage the roots. This can be done in two ways. Take the pot in your right hand and turn it over, holding the bush with your left hand. If the earth ball does not separate, then tap the sides of the pot with your palm.
You can push a flower out of a pot of earth with a wooden stick. To do this, it is inserted into the drainage hole and squeezed out with an earthen lump. Clean the roots of the old soil. Remove damaged and diseased roots, and sprinkle the cuts with charcoal. Prepare the necessary container, which should be of such a size that the roots do not reach its walls by 2 cm and the bottom by 1.5 cm. A layer of expanded clay is poured onto the bottom and sprinkled with soil for 1.5 cm. Plant the plant in the center of the pot, straighten the roots and cover with earth.
To keep the flowers well, compact the soil. It is advisable to cover the top layer of soil with expanded clay or fine gravel. For the first 5 days, the transplanted plant does not require watering and must be kept in the shade. If after a weekaloe sways in a pot, which means that the roots were damaged during transplantation, and the plant did not take root. In this case, the procedure is repeated.
