The History of Aloe Vera Plant

Aloe vera plant can be found in East and South Africa and is grown in most subtropical and tropical locations, including Latin America and the Caribbean. Most botanists agree, and historical evidence suggests, that the Aloe Vera plant originated in the warm, dry climates of Africa.

Aloe vera was a wild plant belonging to the lily family (Liliaceae) and is a relative of common plants as tulips, Easter lilies, and asparagus. Aloe vera is among the 250 species of Aloes.

Ancient history suggests that Aloe vera is as a healing agent and beauty aid. The fresh gel was used by Cleopatra to keep her skin soft and young. Aloe was used by the Ancient Greeks, Arabs and Spaniards and is still used by hunters in Africa to reduce perspiration and body scent.

Alexander the Great conquered the island of Socotra in order to have the Aloe for his army. Marco Polo recorded his descriptions of the many applications of the Aloe Vera plant during his fabled travels in the Orient.

The Spanish carried Aloe From Europe to the New World in South America and the Caribbean. Aloe barbadensis was introduced to the West Indies at the beginning of the 16th century. Spanish missionaries in the west always planted Aloe around their settlements and carried it on their journeys to aid the sick.

The plant is widely known in Asia and the Pacific, and is found in the folklore of the Japanese, the Philippines and the Hawaiians. Among the plant's earliest champions were some of the great figures in the history of medicine and medical thought. One of its earliest advocates was the Greek doctor Dioscorides. In each age, on each continent, in each culture, Aloe Vera has drawn the attention of the most sophisticated of minds.