What grows easily? Aloe vera in Singapore

Angela's aloe vera. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

 That may depend on whether your garden or balcony is in sun or shade. I can tell you two plants which I have found grow prolifically. One survives four seasons. Rosemary. 

The other thrives in the tropics, rain or drought. Aloe vera. A succulent. It can grow without soil, so it used to be known as the plant of immortality.

London, England, UK - Rosemary

I bought a rosemary plant at a garden centre. I took sprigs off it. I planted six. Four of them took. They grew huge.

Over in tropical Singapore I found another prolific plant. A succulent. It's name comes from Arabic for shining bitter and Latin for true.

Singapore - Aloe Vera

My giant aloe vera was a cutting from a friend. I asked her what it was. She gave me a small cutting.

Aloe vera grows baby plants alongside the first one.  (The technical term is offsets.) One website I looked at said plant it in a shallow wide pot so it has room to grow sideways.

I wanted to re-pot the smaller ones because they were crowding out the first one.  I had spare pots to fill. 

I wore gardening gloves for protection. But most gardening gloves protect your hands oand not your forearms.

I put off doing so because they are so spiky. I cut off the spikes at the tip of each leaf. However, you are in danger of cutting your forearms as you reach through the plant..

Also I thought it would be a big job fighting to separate the roots. To my amazement the smaller ones lifted out with one gentle pull.

I now have several small ones. SUCCESS.

Aloe vera, small ones transplated. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Can you eat it?

 One person said you need to remove the skin first. But the skin is spiky to handly. Alternatively, aim to remove the centre. You might want to wash the outside first. And wear clean protective gloves. 

You can mix it into smoothies. If it tastes bitter you may have to add (rock) sugar. The Singaporeans add pandan which is a green leaf which I find rather bland. As the Japanese say, subtle. Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offset_(botany)

About the Author

Angela Lansbury teacher of English (advanced and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, aspiring polyglot.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

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