Annual Flower

This Aloe Vera type plant sends up this beautiful stem of flowers once a year. I love it and this photo is to capture it before it all too quickly fades. It is on my kitchen window sill. I say type plant because I have a large traditional medicinal Aloe Vera in a pot in the hallway but have not been graced with flowers. The Aloe is said to be useful in the healing of burns, wounds and minor skin infections. Also sebaceous cysts, diabetes and elevated blood lipids in humans! These positive effects are thought to be due to the presence of compounds such as polysaccharides, mannans, anthraquinones and lectins (phew)!!! In fact a friend of mine had a very bad Bee sting and after several applications straight from the stem it was massively reduced, normal colour and not irritating. A great testimony and result!! Clever stuff from wikipedia <smiles>.