Meet the neighbours · herb
Aloe Vera
A go-to first-aid plant kept close for decades — burns, scrapes, sunburns, and cuts.
Aloe vera is the quiet houseplant that earns its spot on the windowsill. Cindy has kept one close for decades, reaching for it whenever someone burns a finger, scrapes a knee, or stays out in the sun too long.
Real story: when her young son burned his hand on an oven pan, she applied aloe vera repeatedly through the night. By morning there was no pain, no blister, and no redness at all.
How to grow it
- Grow indoors in direct sun — a bright south window is ideal.
- Needs little water, especially in winter. Overwatering is the most common way to kill it.
- Once established, it produces 'babies' you can share with friends.
How to use & eat it
- Cut a leaf, slice it open, and rub the gel directly on the wound.
- Also used daily as a facial moisturizer.
- The gel from the inner leaf is considered safe topically. Cindy personally avoids consuming it internally due to mixed safety evidence.