The Aloe Vera plant makes a fascinating houseplant. As well as being very easy to care for, it yields some surprising health benefits.

Many people think aloe vera is a cactus, but it's actually a cousin of the lily and onion family. It has a short stem, with thick spiky green leaves that grow out from the stem like the petals of a rose. It's known as a succulent perennial and usuallly grows to about 2 or 3 foot tall. It is usually found predominantly in hot, dry climates.

The aloe vera plant usually produces about 25 leaves, which can be up to 15" long and 3" wide. As a succulent, these fleshy leaves contain the water supply for the plant, so it can survive long periods of drought. It is now widely cultivated in the US, Mexico and the Caribbean for its natural benefits, which are hidden within the leaves. There are over 200 different species of aloe, although the aloe plant with the most benefits has been found to be Aloe Vera - or 'true aloe' - otherwise known as Aloe Barbadensis Miller.

Aloe vera plant care is pretty straightforward. They like warm climates and plenty of sunshine. They do not like over-watering or temperatures below zero. They are very hardy plants, and since they are succulents (they hold water in their leaves and roots) they don't need a lot of water. In fact they seem to thrive on very little. A sunny part of the garden, or south facing window would be ideal.

It's quite easy to find aloe vera plants in your area at your local garden center or nursery. Look for a fairly mature plant, and ensure that the pot is adequately drained. You don't want to water it too often, in case the leaves at the bottom of the plant get waterlogged. And allow enough time between watering for the soil to dry out. Some of the smaller aloe vera plants occasionally get white marks on the leaf. This usually fades as the plant matures.

Aloes are unlikely to get root-bound, but do place them into larger pots as they grow. They like some room in their containers. A mature aloe vera plant will be about 4 years old may get to be about 3 foot high. The leaves grow from the inside of the rosette towards the outside. Occasionally the larger leaves on the outside will droop, and these can be cut away easily.

Once you have an aloe vera plant, you'll have many! You'll find that you'll get lots of aloe vera pups - small plants that grow from the lower part of the main plant. You'll have to remove these gently and re-pot them, or give them to your friends. They make great gifts! If you leave them with the main aloe vera, they can sap too much energy from the main aloe and cause it to wither.

With a little care and attention, aloe vera plants can live for many years, and provide a fascinating addition to your home or garden, as well as a wonderful source of aloe vera gel. To obtain this gel, just remove one of the lower leaves, cut it in half along its length, and rub the inner pulp over the affected area of skin.