Aloe vera

The local name is known as 'Lidah Buaya'. Due to its exceptional healing properties, Aloe Vera is also known as "the little of the desert", "the plant of immortality", "the first aid plant" and "the miracle plant". Its also one of the most imporant crude drug history and is still extensively used in modern medicine. It contains the same painkilling and antiinflammatory compound as in Aspirin. Aloe vera is also a nutrient-rich-plant, containing more than 200 active-components, vitamins, minerals, assential amino acids, enzymes and other plant chemicals which is said to gently strengthen, sustain and encourage cellular activity in body.

This plant is very tolerant to drought and therefore doed not need much watering especially when grown in the open. Aloe vera requires well-drained soils and does very poorly in clayey soils. It is propagated through separation of the suckers. Harvesting is carried out after 6 month. Harvesting begin from the bottom leaves, which are the broadest and the largest. The rest of the plant is left until the leaves mature in thickness and size for the subsequent harvest.