Aeonium is a genus including about 35 succulent plant species with uncommonly glossy, waxy leaves organized in rosettes. The types vary from the low-growing A. tabuliforme and A. smithii that grow simply a couple of inches throughout, to bigger species that grow numerous feet throughout, such as A. arboreum, A. valverdense, and A. holochrysum.
The rounded leaves of the rosette structures are so best that these species are in some cases mistaken for artificial plants. These signature rosettes can be a strong color or variegated in white, yellow, red, and green. Small, star-like flowers grow in clusters from the center of the rosettes, but they are not particularly snazzy.
Aeoniums are rather slow-growing plants, and it might take as much as five years prior to they produce the little bunches of flowers from the center of the rosettes. They can be planted in the garden at any moment. A lot of aeoniums are monocarpic, suggesting that the mom plant dies after blooming, but the puppies (shoots) will continue to produce more shoots, too.
Common Name: Aeonium
Botanical Name: Aeonium spp.
Family: Crassulaceae
Plant Type: Perennial succulent
Mature Size: 2–60 in. (depending on species and variety)
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Soil Type: Sandy loam
Soil pH: 5.6–6.0 (slightly acidic)
Bloom Time: Late winter or spring
Flower Color: Pink (flowering is rare, occurring only in mature plants)
Hardiness Zones: 9–11 (USDA); often grown as potted plants
Native Area: Canary Islands, Africa
How To Take Care Aeonium – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
In warmer climates, aeoniums can be grown as in the ground as perennials, but it is also common to grow them as potted plants on decks or outdoor patios. In chillier areas, they need to be grown in containers and taken inside prior to frost.
When grown in the garden, aeoniums command the most attention when grouped in masses. Tall ranges can appear like bonsai when they get shrubby; you can cut them if they get too leggy. The cuttings will readily root and make new plants, helping you submit your planting area.
Aeoniums have shallow root systems given that they store their water in their leaves and stems. Unlike other succulents, which prefer dry soil, aeoniums choose soil that is not wet however damp.
They can produce roots along their stems, which you may see if the plant gets pot bound or the stems fall and touch the soil. Make sure these roots do moist out. The stem roots will quickly turn the fallen pieces into brand-new plants. Leggy branches do tend to tip over and snap off from the weight of the rosettes. You can replant the broken stem if this happens.
Light – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
As with a lot of succulents, aeonium plants grow finest in full sun to part shade. In hot summers and desert conditions, light shade may be required. Indoors, provide brilliant indirect light.
Soil – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
A sandy loam or routine potting mix changed with perlite is better than a mix particularly for succulents and cacti since aeoniums need some moisture. It may be necessary to modify with peat moss to enhance soil porosity if grown in garden beds with dense soil.
Water – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
In the winter season, water whenever the top inch of soil has dried out. Test by poking your finger down into the soil an inch or more and water if your fingertip is dry. These plants simulate more wetness than numerous other succulents, however excessive moisture or enabling them to sit in damp soil will cause root rot.
Temperature and Humidity – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
Growing aeoniums in wet and shaded soil will keep them growing in high heat, however their true growth season is winter season to spring, when temperature levels are cool (65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) and damp. They might go dormant in summertime and do not need extreme watering, other than in very dry conditions.
Fertilizer – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
Feed throughout the growing season with a half-strength balanced fertilizer monthly or two. Do not feed while dormant.
Aeonium Species – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
Aeonium arboreum: This widely offered plant has intense green rosettes on a branching stem. It has a shrubby type and can grow as high as 6 feet in the garden, or 3 feet in containers.
Aeonium arboreum ‘Atropurpureum’: This 3- to 5-foot high cultivar has maroon leaves if grown in bright light.
Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’ or ‘Black Rose’: This cultivar has very dark, deep burgundy or practically black leaves. It, too, is a fairly big plant.
Aeonium ‘Garnet’: A hybrid cross of A. ‘Zwarkop’ and A. tabuliforme, this variety’s leaves are green towards the middle and tipped with dark red.
Aeonium davidbramwelli ‘Sunburst’: This range is a shorter, 1- to 2-foot high plant but has rosettes up to 1 foot throughout with pale yellow, green and white stripes, and pink suggestions.
Aeonium haworthii ‘Tricolor’ or ‘Kiwi’: An easy growing 2- to 3-foot plant, it has 4-inch flowers that have pale yellow centers when young, growing to red and green.
How To Propagate Aeonium – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
Because of the way aeonium branches so it’s a great way to multiply your collection, propagating aeonium results in a number of plants from just one cutting. Like many succulents, aeoniums are extremely easy to propagate from cuttings when performed in the spring. Even stem pieces that fall off the plant may easily take root in the surrounding soil. Here’s how to propagate aeonium from cuttings:
1. With a very sharp, tidy cutting tool, cut off a more youthful stem piece containing a leaf rosette. Place the cutting on its side and place it in a dry, warm, and dubious spot for about three days to permit the cut end to heal. (The callous is essential due to the fact that it will avoid root rot once the cutting is planted.).
2. Fill a little pot with drain holes with a mix of half routine potting soil and half cactus/succulent potting mix. Location the severed, calloused end of the cutting into the potting mix, just deep sufficient to hold it upright. Place the pot in intense indirect light and water it lightly as soon as weekly.
3. Once the plant has actually developed strong roots, allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry before watering. Repot into a bigger container as required.
How To Pot And Repot Aeonium – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
Aeoniums are excellent for growing in containers since they need so little soil. Pick a container with a drainage hole to avoid standing water and root rot.
Repot every 2 to three years with fresh potting soil if you are growing aeoniums in containers.
Don’t Let Pests Ruin Your Aeonium! – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
Aeoniums bring in the normal aphids, mealybugs, termites, and scale.2 However there’s another bug you ought to watch for– ants. Mealybugs and aphids secrete sweet compounds that bring in the ants to succulents. It’s hard getting rid of ants from succulents with tight buds or rosette leaves. Your finest chance is to put ant bait next to the plants to draw them out.
After the ants are gone, then you concentrate on eliminating the other pests. Treat the plant with a spray of water or mild insecticidal soap to remove these pests.
How To Take Care Of Aeonium – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
This succulent is challenging and simultaneously easy to take care of because a few of its regular habits can make you think the plant is dying. When caring for aeoniums, here are a couple of ideas.
Falling Off Leaves – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
The bottom leaves of the plant may start to shed, which is a normal situation. Even if the plant appears to be dying, this may be due to it is at a dormant stage. Just leave the plant alone to rest and do not try to assist it. Dormancy is likewise not a great time to take stem cuttings from the plant.
Nevertheless, the very same habits can happen in the summer season if the plant feels too hot and underwatered. In extreme heat, their leaves will curl to prevent excessive water loss. You can inform the subtle distinction if the plant is stressed or not if the rosette is closing up or curling together with leaf shedding. If you believe that holds true, give the plant a beverage of water and see if the rosettes open up a bit and uncurl, though the leaves may continue to shed.
Brown Leaves – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
The leaves will become sunburned if the plant is getting too much sunlight. You can get rid of the scorched leaves or wait on them to naturally fall off. Move the plant to a spot with slightly less direct sunshine.
Dying Mother Branch – Add Some Color To Your Life With Aeoniums
The branch will appear to be dying if you have a branching aeonium with the main mother plant that has flowered. It is dying, but you can conserve the plant by using a sharp, tidy cutting tool to cut off the head where the rosette and flowers already bloomed. It might not look extremely quite at first, however the branch should have children (shoots) on it that will continue to grow and eventually flower.
