Aloe, which is widely grown as a houseplant, qualifies as an herb in Webster's broad definition that states: An herb is a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory or aromatic qualities.

Katy Terrell, a cactus society member, told the group there are about 400 varieties of aloe, but only one is known as the medicine plant.

Aloes, which are native to Northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, must be kept indoors in a window with bright, direct sunlight during the winter, and happily spend the other seasons outdoors, she said.

But don't place them in full, all-day sun. They do better with morning sun and afternoon shade.

Allow the soil to dry completely between waterings. In the winter, water no more than every three to four weeks.

Most succulents need little fertilizer. If you think yours could use a boost, give it an all-purpose liquid plant food at about half the recommended dilution.

If you have a happy aloe, you will have baby plants to share with friends.

The plant produces lots of shoots or offsets -- also called "pups" -- that can be planted in a mixture of soil and sand.

Repot in a sandy soil mix in the spring to the next size larger container.

If your plant is really happy, you might see a long stalk with yellow flowers in the spring. David and Sarah Levy, owners of Willow Oaks Farm in Brownsville, Tenn., keep a couple of aloe vera plants in their commercial greenhouses during the winter. They almost always get bloom stalks in the spring.

Don Klotwog, president of the cactus society, had to choose between watching his beloved University of Memphis Tigers play the first Elite Eight game or attending the meeting of the two plant societies.

Basketball won out, but he did send a couple of dozen varieties of aloes, so all who attended could get a look at other plants in the genus.

About 50 people showed up, some with earphones attached to portable radios or hand-held televisions so they could monitor the game.

Herb society past president Linda Lanier researched the uses of aloe and shared those findings and her own experiences.

"When I lived in Miami, we had aloe growing in our courtyard," she said.

"We used it all the time for sunburn and mosquito bites."

She learned that aloe vera has been used for healing for some 5,000 years. Egyptian queens Nefertiti and Cleopatra used it in their beauty regimens. Napoleon's wife, Josephine, mixed it with milk and spread it on her face.

A persistent legend has it that Aristotle persuaded Alexander the Great to capture the island of Socotra, off the coast of Yemen, for its abundant aloe. In the story, Alexander used the plant's healing gel to treat the wounds of his soldiers.

Traders brought aloe vera plants to London in 1693, and by 1843 it was being imported in great amounts to make medicines.

Today, it is an ingredient in commercial products for acne, dry skin and shampoo. As a juice, it is purported to treat everything from ulcers to constipation.

People being treated for cancer swish it in their mouths to soothe soreness brought on by chemotherapy.

For topical skin problems, just cut off a leaf and use a knife to remove or expose the inner leaf gel. Rub on the spot. Using it directly from the plant is the most effective way, although there are numerous ointments and gels that contain the gel.

The Memphis Herb Society and Memphis Cactus Society meet at 7 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month at the Memphis Botanic Garden, which is why members decided it was time for the groups to mingle a little.

Visitors are welcome at either group's meetings.

Lilies will live on outdoors

You can plant your Easter lilies in the ground after their flowers fade.

When all have withered, cut off the bloom stalk. Plant so that the bulb is about 3 inches below the surface of well-drained soil.

You will be rewarded with wonderful lilies for years to come.

This week

Sara Henderson will speak on "Hydrangeas and their Friends in the Garden," at 7 p.m. Monday at the Memphis Botanic Garden.

Her talk is the program for the Mid-South Hydrangea Society. It is free for members; $5 for others.

Rick Darke, author of the "The American Woodland Garden," will discuss "Grasses for a Livable Landscape" at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library. Admission is $10.

Send your questions, tips and comments to chrisagang@hotmail.com or call 529-2368 or 529-2372.

source : www.commercialappeal.com