A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 ALOE PLANT

I recently purchased an aloe plant because my daughter burned her hand and everyone told me this is the best medicine. Well is my aloe plant supposed to smell like onion? I put it on her hand and she reeks of onion. My mom brought over her aloe plant and it smells like a normal plant. Is mine bad??? Scared to use it! Thanks so much for any information.

DDMARIE0531,
Hello and Welcome to The Garden Helper's Forum!!
We are very glad you found us!

I just wanted to let you know, even though
I don't know too much about house plants.....
I don't think they're supposed to smell like onions...
I'm going to move your post into the
HOUSE plant SECTION, I'm sure you'll get a
few more responses in there and someone
will be by for sure to give you some help!!!

Weezie

P/S Do you happen to have a picture of your
"Oniony smelling Aloe"???

Thank you for moving me to the correct spot. Yes it is so strange about the smell. I thought it was just me but my Mom said it smelled like my daughter was playing in onions! So I broke open a leaf and yup it smelled like onions! I took a picture but cant get it to show up here. It is the traditional looking one, about 5 stalks that stand up straight and are really thick and wide. It only costed 3.49 at Home Depot. Hopefully that helps.

Thanks again.

DDMARIE,
If you go to one of these sites, *and there is other's too, just can't remember the names*....

WebShots
PhotoBucket
Imagestation

It's FREE to download your pictures too....
Then you can attach the URL from the place you choose, copy and paste the URL, then click on the IMAGE botton, and insert the URL into there.
*there will be a highlighted blue http:/ thing there, either delete it or click your backspace button to get rid of it

I hope this helps..

Weezie

P/S There's some other gardener's that do use pictures alot and maybe able to help you alot better than I did, Afgreyparrot/Cindy, Loz, Jiffy, G~mom, plants~n~Pots, Carly....tons of them know how and can give you a hand if you need it....

Several things can make it smell like onions--species, incorrect soil, water, plant food not for aloes. This is a plant that needs a sandy soil. I take play sand (it cost less and is exactly the same as more expensive sand) and mix it with my potting soil. Aloes are a succulant so if you don't want to mix sand in, you can buy cactus potting soil. Make certain the soil drains well. They don't like to sit in heavy amounts of water.

It won't hurt to use it. The healing is in the sap.

I can vouch for the effectiveness of Aloe on burns. However, I'm not sure how quickly you must apply it.

When I was young, I had scalding hot water poured down my back (on accident of course). It was a large pot that'd been sitting on the woodstove for hours. My brother slipped and it went all over me. All I could do was scream. My mom had enough wits about her to yank all my clothing off. Unfortunately, it was thermal underwear so it held all that water right up against my skin.

I had 3 degree burns all over my back, bum and legs. Blisters and open wounds. Mom covered me in aloe several times that day and the next. She continued to do so until I had no blisters left. I don't have even one scar left. You'd never know I'd ever had such a horrific injury.

One more thing... just to make sure, you have to completely peel the aloe and use only the clear jelly on the inside. I know that the green part can smell like onions.