How Aloe Vera blooms: what does a blossoming plant look like in the photo, how to help buds form at home when the petals fall?

Aloe vera, or real aloe, is a close relative of the famous agave (what are the differences between aloe vera and agave?). Both plants belong to the genus Aloe, numbering about 500 species. Aloe vera comes from the Arabian Peninsula, but is grown everywhere in countries with a tropical climate.

It is valued, first of all, as a medicinal plant - the pulp has an antiseptic and wound healing effect. But does this plant bloom not only in nature, but also on the windowsill? We will talk about this in the article.

How does flowering occur at home?

Reference! In nature, bushes begin to bloom at the age of at least four years. Flowering lasts from March to May.

Does the plant bloom at home? Like other types of aloe, Aloe vera blooms at home extremely rarely. You can grow it at home for many years, and never see the flowers, and not even suspect that this is possible (on how to properly grow Aloe vera at home, read here).

It happens that a plant blooms spontaneously, for the first time in many years, to the unspeakable surprise of the host. Is it possible to ensure that this miracle is repeated regularly? Yes, this is quite feasible, but it will require some effort from the owner. It is necessary to bring the living conditions of indoor aloe to natural.

What is needed for the formation of buds?

For the formation of aloe buds, bright lighting and warmth are important. It is advisable to start preparing for flowering in the winter. The room should be cool - from 10 to 14 ⁰С. It is necessary to provide additional illumination - for example, using fluorescent lamps.

In winter, the soil is moistened about once a month. Before each watering, you need to make sure that the earth in the pot is completely dry. It is also extremely important that the air in the room is dry, otherwise the roots may rot and the plant will die. As soon as warm weather sets in, you should take the flower pot out onto the street. Suitable balcony on the south side. It is necessary to accustom a plant to new conditions gradually - at first to take out in the sun for half an hour a day, then for an hour, and so every day to extend "sun baths".

Attention! In fairly warm weather, you can leave the aloe pot on the balcony for a day, and return it to the room at night. In the summer, when the danger of frost has passed, you can leave it in the air and at night.

The ideal temperature for flowering is from 21 to 29 ⁰С during the day and not lower than 15 ⁰С at night. Watering the flower should now be about once a week, while making sure that the water does not stagnate in the pot.
Indoor flowering time is variable - Aloe can bloom in March and October. Learn more about home care for aloe vera in this article.

What does a flowering plant look like?

First, a peduncle grows from the center of the outlet, at the end of which light green buds are collected. At first, the unblown inflorescence resembles a lump. Just before flowering - after about two months - the height of the peduncle reaches almost a meter. Flowers bloom gradually, rising from the bottom up. When the upper flowers blossom, the lower ones are already fallen. Aloe vera flowers are tubular, yellow or yellow-orange, depending on the variety. From afar, they resemble small bananas.

Under good conditions, flowering can last up to six months.. The only drawback of the flowering bush is the pungent smell, which can cause a headache.
Watch a video about aloe blooming at home:

Photo

Further on the photo you can see how Aloe vera blooms.

Dormant care

In the fall, a period of rest begins for the flower. The pot needs to be brought into the room, and again, as in winter, to provide coolness. Watering should be reduced to once a month. If during flowering, aloe was fed, then now you need to stop feeding. In the spring, before you start to take out the flower in the sun, it is advisable to transplant it into a new pot, which should not be much larger than the previous one in size.

Why are there no buds?

Perhaps the bush is still too young. If in nature, aloe vera begins to bloom from the age of four, then at home it rarely blooms at the age of less than ten years. Yes, in some cases, very young bushes bloom, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

Important! Make sure that all the conditions necessary for flowering are met - bright lighting, dry air, cool in winter and warm in summer. It is also possible that the plant lacks nutrients.

During the growth period, in the summer months, feed the flower with complex mineral fertilizers once every two weeks. Before top dressing, you need to moisten the soil well, otherwise the fertilizer can damage the roots and even completely destroy the plant.

What happens when the petals fall off?

Unfortunately, Aloe vera fruits are tied only when cross-pollinated. Since at home it is hardly possible to achieve the simultaneous flowering of at least two copies of aloe, then pollination of flowers does not occur.

Flowers showered immediately after flowering. When the last petal falls, the peduncle needs to be removed so that it does not take on the strength of a bush exhausted by flowering. Do not worry about this - if you want to grow aloe from seeds, you can buy them in a flower shop or online.

It will be great if the efforts of the grower are successful, and the aloe bush finally throws out the long-awaited arrow with buds.

However, you should not be very upset if this does not happen. After all decorative qualities of aloe are secondary in comparison with its healing propertieswith which it has been famous for many millennia. Read about the healing properties and contraindications of this wonderful plant here, and here you can find recipes for alternative medicine with aloe vera.