Houseplants and Honeymoons

Posted by Susan Walsh Jul 12, 2007

Hello everyone!

Forgive my recent absence. I have a good excuse-I got married! My hubby and I tied the knot on June 23rd here in New York, and then went off to an amazing honeymoon in Aruba. Aruba is the southernmost island in the Caribbean. If you’ve never been there I highly recommend it-it’s an absolutely gorgeous island. It’s a study in contrasts. The coast is lined with pristine sandy white beaches and crystal clear water while the interior is desert like and studded with outcroppings of volcanic rock. There’s actually a volcano on the island, but it’s no longer active. While we were there I noticed that many plants we consider houseplants, such as Aloe and Sansevieria, grow in the wild along roadsides and in public areas. In fact, Aruba is famous for it’s aloe products! Every kitchen should have an aloe plant. The gel in the leaves is great for minor burns and scrapes (helps heal sunburns quickly too). It’s a great moisturizer as well as a pain reliever. In fact, there is research being done now that suggests that aloe may be beneficial in preventing skin cancer!

Now that I have returned, look forward to a series of plant profile articles. We started with Philodendron and the next article in the series will cover Pothos. Please feel free to chat about my articles and houseplants in general in the discussion area! You can also contact me directly with any questions or comments. I hope you’re enjoying the houseplants site!