History of Aloe Vera 
IT'S MAGIC, IT'S MYTH AND THE MIRACLE OF ALOE VERA (Lat. True Aloe)

The Magic and The Miracle of Aloe Vera
Many popular and appropriate synonyms that appear often in regards to the Aloe Vera plant are The Silent Healer - The Miracle Plant - Elixir of the Youth and Longevity.
Historians with the aid of geologists place the origin of the Aloe in Central Northern Africa. In natures wondrous way the Aloe adapted, survived and thrived in these arid climates where it appeared most needed. So revered was the Aloe Vera Plant that various cultures gave it such kudos as: ‘The Silent Healer’ by the Hindu who believed it came from the Garden of Eden; ‘The Remedy of Harmony‘ by Chinese medicine practitioners who emphasised it’s use on the skin; the well known saying ‘The Fountain of Youth' was Nefertiti‘s claim for the juice made from the gel of the Aloe Vera  she attributed her unlined face and her youthful beauty to her regular use of Aloe gel on her skin and her drinking the juice made from the gel (see recipes) and she had the great privilege of her position as Queen to have enough Aloe to bathe in waters with the soft soothing gel amassed in it, as did Cleopatra who coined Aloe 'the Miracle Plant' ; ‘The Elixir of Jerusalem’  the phrase given it in Mesopotamia (now Iraq); Native American Indians called it ‘The Life Plant’ and used it for it’s rejuvenating powers; the Russians praised it and managed to cultivate it in the warmer regions and called Aloe (translated) ‘The Elixir of Longevity’ and the Arabs called it ‘The Desert Lily’. 
It was they (the Arabs) who introduced Aloe Vera throughout the East, the far East and Orient around 600 BC.

500 years before Christ Aloe Vera was deliberately farmed (these days we would say ‘commercially farmed’) on the island of Socotra in the extreme west of the Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden off the tip of The Horn of Africa. Socotra was and still is under the governorate of Yemen who’s coast is 380 kms to the north.
The Aloe grown on Socotra made for more vigorous trade with numerous countries in the region as well as India, China, Nepal, Tibet and other accessible trading countries of the time.

Both Nefertiti, for radiant beauty and youthful looks, and Cleopatra, for her striking aesthetic attractiveness, have been immortalised. In both of their histories the Aloe is referred to as a staple in their regimen for health and beauty.

Aloe Vera is often referred to in ancient scrolls and scriptures. The Ebers Papyrus speaks extensively of it’s healing qualities. 
Throughout the Bible's Old and New Testaments -  the Aloe is given praise in it’s mention. It is even given homage as one of God’s great gifts to man.  
Numbers 24:6 - Like valleys they spread out, the gardens beside a river, like aloes planted 
by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters. 
Psalms 45:8 - All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, 
whereby they have made thee glad. 
Proverbs 7:17 -  "I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon....",  
Song of Solomon 4:14 - with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices. 
You are a garden fountain .....
 John 19:39 - Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing myrrh and aloes.  
And more.......

Impostors, wannabees and product myths.

There is a popular misconception of the variety of Aloe that is the genuine Aloe Vera plant- particularly in New Zealand. 
Vera is Latin for ‘True’ giving the authentic true Aloe variety the name Aloe Vera. The plants sold through many of the chain nurseries are hybrids or GM stimulations of the aloe perryi which does not contain the medicinal qualities of the genuine Aloe Barbadensis-Miller. If fact they are potentially dangerous to use as a drink as the have a toxin that is potentially harmful.
Many think that the common house plant Aloe Perryi is the real McCoy. (Pic. 1.) Unfortunately for all who have purchased this variety, it holds only a fraction of the healing powers, virtually none of the health giving attributes and very little of the skin purification and rejuvenation qualities contained in the true Aloe Vera plant. It does not have the vital Protein Stimulation that causes collagen regrowth. However it is easy to keep near the stove because of it's size for the occasional slight burn when cooking but cold water is equally as good and there is no preparation required to turn on the tap. 
Pictured on the right (Pic.2) below in a small backyard plantation of the true Aloe Vera which is clearly a more substantial specimen. If you look carefully there is a very large fat Monarch caterpillar looking for a place to pupate on the small pup leaf in front, not that that has anything to do with healing or skin treatment, it's just a nice capture.

You often see this small Aloe Perryi plant (pic 1.) (and many other pointy prickly plants for that matter, some of which are actually cactus) for sale on the trade and auction sites on the internet claiming the name Aloe Vera and therewith all the medicinal, healing and cosmetic claims that can go with it. This variety  is common in New Zealand, it is however an impostor and can also be found for sale at markets for as little as 50 cents to $2 a plant. It is not Aloe Vera. Furthermore it seems people will sell anything green with thorny edges as Aloe Vera especially on auction sites. 

THE REAL THING
The Aloes featured in Pic.2 are Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis/Barbadensis-Miller) 
which is the variety used by natural healing practitioners and by the industry in general as it contains all the desired goodness and qualities and in much greater concentration than any of the other Aloes. The Aloe Vera Barbadensis-Miller is not easily found or abundantly growing in New Zealand. Most Aloe Vera for supply to the cosmetic industry is grown in Texas, Phoenix, Mexico, Australia and a few other warm climate countries. It does grow extremely well in warm micro-climates in New Zealand where there is no frost and low rainfall. 
The difference between the variety Aloe Barbadensis and Barbadensis-Miller is slight, the Miller variety having a more concentrated 'Alion' and medicinal content. (concentrated Aloin is most apparent in the yellow sap directly under the leaf's skin which with both varieties and should be rinsed off after filleting should you want to drink the blended juice).- see fresh leaf preparation. 
The Barbadensis-Miller variety is so called as it was discovered by and enthusiastic and eccentric 
Scottish explorer and botanist who found the specimen growing wildly in Barbados, 
recognising a difference in the strain firstly due to it's yellow flower (as opposed to orange with the variety that was African in origin known to him) and the more concentrated yellow sap (aloin) when the leaf was broken.   
The Aloin has specific medicinal qualities and should only be used on advice from a health specialist. It is however harmless in small quantity but is extremely bitter hence another reason for the thorough rinsing of the gel after extraction. The clear gel inside the leaf is what you are after and the most beneficial gel extract comes from plants that are 4 to 7 years old from the Miller variety which Aloe Fresh provides. 
It takes between two and three years for a plantet (pup) to reach full size and then a further few years to enrich itself with the nutrients that give you the benefits the plant offers.  
Needless to say the farming of Aloe Vera requires dedication and patience as the annual yield per plant averages 12 leaves.  Therefore each plant has a three year harvest life at 12 leaves annually. You can do the commercial math if you want. 
If you have a Barbadensis or Barbadensis Miller plant and want more information, please contact me, Bruno and I will be pleased to exchange thoughts and knowledge with you. 

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