No one reliably knows why aloe has earned the second name “centenarian”. Many flower growers are of the opinion that the longevity of the plant has nothing to do with it and the reason for this is the extremely rare flowering of the succulent.
Does aloe bloom in the home
All succulents, including cacti, are capable of flowering at home. Beginning florists find it difficult to introduce the patient desert dwellers into the blooming phase, hence the myths about the centipede. Previously, only narrow specialists botanists could achieve flowering. In the age of information technology, data on specific plants have become available to every Internet user.
Exploring forums and portals on the expanse of the virtual web, dedicated to the subject of indoor floriculture, it is easy to make sure that aloe can still bloom in the home. This is confirmed by the numerous photos of blooming succulents grown on the windowsills of city apartment buildings. Aloe is capable of blooming at home with the proper agronomic technique.
What do the flowers of indoor aloe look like?
Before entering the struggle to bloom succulents, you should familiarize yourself with how often aloe blooms and how its flowers look like.
A desert dweller that has entered the flowering phase throws out an arrow of a flower stalk from the central rosette of leaves. Often the length of the arrow reaches 40-50 centimeters. Over time, a panicle of many buds of future flowers is formed at the top of the flower stalk. The flowering process begins with the lower buds, gradually progressing to the top of the flower stalk.
By the time the upper buds open, the lower flowers have time to wither. Aloe flowers are small, elongated bell-shaped. The color range depends on the variety of aloe and varies from orange to light red. The elongated, narrow bell-shaped flowers hang down to form a kind of candle.
Aloe flowers are among the strongly scented plants.
Particular caution should be exercised by allergic people, because the strong aroma of the flowering plant can cause headaches, allergic rhinitis, and general malaise.
Experienced florists argue that flowering depletes the succulent and recommend carefully trimming the flower stalk, not allowing the seeds to mature.
How often does the aloe flower
Under natural conditions, adult succulents bloom every spring. Florists living in countries with hot, dry climates grow aloe in the open ground. In their gardens, the plant also willingly blooms almost every year. Residents of temperate climates find it much more difficult to get the centenarian to bloom.
The combination of unique medicinal properties and a high degree of survival were the main reasons for the widespread distribution of aloe. It is the endurance of the desert plant that allows growing it on windowsills without following the rules of agricultural engineering. The centipede is able to grow in unsuitable soil, making do with scarce light.
Should we be surprised by the rare flowering of a plant cultivated in conditions not even remotely close to natural.
Aloe is very responsive to loving care and is happy to bloom from the age of three.
Without proper agrotechnics, the succulent will not bloom even after ten years – users of the Net claim.
Cases of annual flowering of aloe in temperate climates are extremely rare. The indoor plant takes a long time to recover from the flowering phase and requires patience and care from the gardener.
What does aloe flowering depend on?
To ensure that the blooming of the centipede is not an exceptional event, it is necessary to bring the home growing microclimate as close as possible to natural growing conditions. This rule is the “golden rule” for any indoor culture. Without much effort, it is almost impossible to arrange a desert on a windowsill.
A florist determined to achieve aloe blooms will have to completely reconsider:
- The optimal size of the vase;
- The correct composition of the soil;
- Watering regime and water preparation;
- The organization of a cool wintering;
- Effective lighting for aloe.
There is enough adequate information on the Web about the rules of care for the centenarian. It should be remembered that under natural conditions, the root system of the aloe is not limited to the tight space of the vase. Soil should be chosen ready, designed for the cultivation of cacti. Roots of desert dwellers are extremely unstable to the defeat of rot, so watering is carried out exclusively through the pallet.
Aloe requires long daylight hours most of the year. The air temperature during the period of active vegetative development should be at least +25°C. The houseplant requires little scattering of the searing midday rays of the sun.
Young specimens focus on active growth during the first three years. During this period, the plant does not need wintering, the resting phase is not pronounced. Aloe enjoys flowering only after coming out of wintering.
How to organize wintering for the centenarian
You should not expect flowering from an aloe grown without a cool, semi-dry overwintering. After three years of age, the centenarian is transplanted once every two or three years in the spring, on the eve of active vegetation. Overwintering is arranged in autumn, when the succulent stops mastering the substrate and vigorously build up green mass.
In autumn, the specimen is placed in a cool, illuminated room. It is necessary to maintain a constant temperature in the range of +14+16°C.
It is important not to humidify the air in a cool room, so that the plant is not exposed to rot. The short daylight hours are increased with additional artificial light up to 12-16 hours per day.
For the dormancy period, watering is reduced to once a week. Under no circumstances should you water with cold water. The optimal solution is to moisten the substrate through drainage holes, pouring warm water into the tray. Allowed to immerse the vase in a container of water for ten minutes. After that, let the excess water drain off to prevent the root system from rotting.
The aloe is moved to a warm room on the eve of the active growth phase.
The plant is awakened by the warmer air temperature. Switch to a more intensive watering regime, no more than twice a week. It is extremely important to use a special set of mineral fertilizers for cacti and succulents. The perennial responds well to two monthly feedings.
The healing properties of aloe last through the flowering period.
It is extremely important not to turn or move the vase unnecessarily.
The plant is not disturbed at all, when the specimen releases the arrow from the central rosette of prickly leaves. Aloe blooms for a long time, until the top buds on the candlestick flower stalk open. It is important to remove the stem carefully after the flowering phase so as not to deplete the centenarian.
