Wednesday's Story

Through my view finder…

I see the fine details, starting with a single droplet hanging from the stamen and the softly curled up petals creating its bell-shape. As I focus my lens, I see that there are fine, white pinpoints that decorate the outer petals and notice the wide variety of colors not easily seen from afar. This small vista creates a renewed sense of awe and makes me want to pick up each item around me to take a closer look at the details.

points of interest

Stemless, suckering, forming a dense rosette of lance-shaped, fleshy, dark green leaves, spotted with pale green. Leaf margins are toothed, feeling rough rather than sharp. Terminal racemes of bell-shaped, coral-red flowers appear throughout summer. Spreads indefinitely.

general care

Outdoors, grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. As a houseplant, place in full light, water moderately throughout the year, sparingly during dormancy, and apply balanced liquid fertilizer 2-3x throughout growing period. In poor soil or too strong light, aloe leaves turn red or bronze.

friday’s flower fact

Although Aloe Vera is most well-known, there are over 450 species of Aloe with widely varying characteristics, some a few inches tall, while others can have 60’ trunks.