Aloes seem to like my house. They reproduce like … well, not rabbits, but a lot! Aloe is an amazing plant to use topically for any type of burns. In herbal vocabulary, it is a vulnerary – a plant that promotes tissue healing and soothes irritated tissue. The gel inside aloe leaves is amazing for sunburn, radiation burns, and abrasions.

Topically, aloe has research that has shown it to be anti-tumor, anti-viral, and immunomodulating. It can also be used for diabetic wounds. When I was receiving radiation for cancer, I used it daily instead of the Aquaphor that the cancer center recommended. I think that the herbs I used (a wash of calendula and marshmallow, followed by aloe gel) kept me from getting any type of burns. Herbs are good stuff!

I’ve found that I can preserve the gel (scraped off the leaves into a jar) for about a month in the refrigerator. I have also freezedried some of the leaves cut to jar size and split. These rehydrate nicely for ‘herbal bandaids’.

You can use aloe internally, with some major precautions. The outside of the leaf contains some really bitter yellow latex that is a purgative (laxative). It can help with chronic constipation, but it is not my herb of choice for that. One, it tastes bad. Two, it’s way too strong for chronic use and can cause some electrolyte imbalances from the resulting diarrhea. The aloe drinks you see in grocery stores use the inside leaf, and not a lot of it. I can see how it might be helpful for an irritated tummy, but I wouldn’t advise drinking it daily.

I’ve downsized (OK, killed) two of my huge aloes (bigger than the ones in the photo) today, and repotted (as of this moment) 7 babies. If any of you are in need of a plant, please let me know. I love them, but my mudroom is starting to look like the Little Shop of Horrors. I’m doing a little experimentation with them as an amendment to my gardening – I’ll let you know how it turns out.