Aloe is a houseplant that is known for its healing properties. But many flower growers have never seen aloe blossom. Its flowering is so rare that sometimes because of this the succulent is called the agave.
Flowering aloe at home
The probability of the appearance of flowers in aloe occurs only in the mature age of the plant - it must be more than 5 years old. A prerequisite for this is the dormant period, which should pass in the winter months. At this time, the succulent needs special care.
Desert succulent flowers look very unusual
The flowering process consists of several main stages:
- The appearance of a strong and resilient peduncle.
- Stretching the peduncle up to 35 cm in length (in some varieties of the agave, it can reach 80 cm).
- The formation of inflorescences, consisting of many buds, and their gradual increase in size.
- Disclosure of flowers in the form of hollow elongated tubules.
The color of the flowers of homemade aloe can be bright orange, less often yellow, pinkish and rich scarlet.
Additional Information! In the first years of life, the flower does not gain color and is useless when trying to treat it with juice. At this time, the plant is actively building up the root system and leaves.
Frequency and timing of flowering
Florists growing aloe for a long time, note that it blooms no more than 1 time in 15-20 years. However, if breeding conditions are violated, the succulent can never bloom.
In most cases, aloe bloom occurs in early spring. The possibility of bud formation depends on how the flower wintered, whether the conditions of maintenance and care were met. By the end of spring, the plant begins to shed dried flowers, but in rare cases, flowering can last until autumn.
Aloe flowering most often occurs in spring
The most common flowering species
About 300 flowering varieties of this succulent are known. Most of them open buds in spring or early summer. The most popular types:
- Aloe Vera - blooms with bright orange flowers and is considered the most common in indoor floriculture.
- Fan - its leaf plates are arranged accordingly, and the buds are painted red.
- Jackson's Aloe - different purple-violet tube colors.
- Aloe Descoyings - in this variety the leaves have the shape of a triangle, and the buds are characterized by a yellow color.
- Aloe-tree - it is characterized by a variety of floral shades - bright red, light yellow, deep orange and pink.
- Camperi - differs in a branched peduncle, on the ends of which brushes with scarlet buds are placed.
- Pretty aloe - its bell flowers have a purple-coral hue.
- Soapy - tubular buds of this species are colored in red, yellow or pink with a darker speck.
- Awesome (aka Horrible) - the distinctive feature of the variety is thorns on leaf plates and bright orange-scarlet inflorescences.
- The white-flowered is the rarest indoor species, it came from Madagascar and is distinguished by white-cream buds.
Inflorescences of different species differ in color and shape.
Why buds are not tied
The reason for the lack of flowering is usually unsuitable conditions. Although the plant itself is unpretentious and grows well in almost any home, special care will be needed to help it bloom.
The main reasons for the lack of flowering:
- The age of a particular flower instance is too young.
- Violation of the irrigation regime, leading to drying out of the soil or stagnation of moisture in it.
- Lack of sunlight.
- Unsuitable soil mixture.
- Depleted soil and lack of nutrients.
- The lack of timely plant transplants, which causes cramping of the roots inside the container.
- Sub-optimal indoor humidity.
- Sudden changes in temperature and drafts.
Such factors as the appearance of parasitic insects and infection with various diseases cannot be ruled out.
How to make aloe blossom at home
For the onset of flowering on time, it is necessary to provide the bush with a clear schedule with timely wintering. During rest, he slows down his internal life processes and accumulates resources for active growth after he leaves hibernation.
Without a tangible change of seasons, the onset of flowering aloe is impossible
At home, the onset of the rest period is not characteristic of the agave - it needs to create suitable conditions. For this, the temperature in the room is gradually reduced to + 11 ... +14 degrees, after which the pot with succulent is removed in a dark place. The flower begins to be watered less and less, gradually reducing the number of procedures to nothing.
The rules of care on which flowering depends
The natural habitat of the agave is desert areas with dry and hot air, open to direct sunlight. To achieve aloe bloom, you will need to create a comfortable environment for it.
Priming
A neutral or slightly acidic soil is preferred. You can buy the finished mixture or prepare it yourself from turf land, river sand and humus. At the bottom of the pot must be laid drainage.
Note! On the second day after watering, the earth around the succulent should be carefully loosened.
Fertilizers
The plant will develop correctly with regular application of mineral fertilizing. For this, ready-made complex compositions for succulents are used strictly in accordance with the instructions.
Watering
Watering a desert flower should not be too often, since waterlogging is fatal for it. To do this, use settled water.
Temperature and humidity
Although most varieties of aloe are able to withstand temperature extremes from +6 to +28 degrees, it is advisable to maintain the optimal regime in the room within + 18-20 degrees. Humidity should be kept at an average level, there is no need for additional spraying.
Young plant must be replanted annually
How to care for flowering aloe
If you succeeded in budding the succulent, the care technique should be changed at this time. During the flowering period, the bush provides maximum peace, only slightly increasing the temperature in the room and bringing the daylight to 12 hours with the help of phytolamps.
When the plant gains color, it is advisable to feed it with potassium and phosphorus, and then stop fertilizing. Watering mode does not change.
Note! When aloe blooms, it becomes toxic and can cause headaches in people, as well as other ailments.
What happens when the petals fall
When the flowering of aloe at home is completed, dried flowers and peduncle are carefully removed from the bush. This must be done, as they not only violate the decorativeness of the plant, but also require nutrients.
It is recommended to treat the slice with a potassium permanganate solution and sprinkle with crushed activated carbon. Further, the plant is fed with a complex mineral product containing nitrogen and liquid organic fertilizer.
Additional Information. In the wild, after flowering aloe, fruits are formed in place of the buds. At home, this is impossible, since there is no likelihood of cross-pollination.
Rest period
For the winter period following flowering, the number of irrigations is reduced. It is enough to moisten the soil in a pot with succulent 1 time per month. Even with the complete absence of watering, the flower will feel great. Watering the plant is necessary only when the earth is completely dry.
During the dormant period, the bush is again rearranged into a room with an air temperature lowered to + 10 ... +14 degrees. The air there must be dry, otherwise the likelihood of infection with fungal diseases increases.
Under favorable conditions, aloe is sure to please flowering
Aloe has many medicinal properties, it is used in traditional medicine in the treatment of various diseases. The decorativeness of its leaves made the flower very popular as a houseplant. Due to the fact that aloe blooms very rarely, this phenomenon is considered a good omen that carries happiness, health and good luck. But, following the above recommendations, you can stimulate the plant and wait for flowering.
