Aeonium succulents are mostly native to the Canary Islands, but some are from Madeira, Morocco and East Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya) and Yemen. It is an evergreen perennials 6–100 cm tall in culture.
Aeonium succulents, also called as tree houseleek, is a succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. This genus was described by Philip Barker-Webb & Sabin Berthelot.
IDENTIFY AEONIUM SUCCULENTS
Aeonium succulents are mostly native to the Canary Islands, but some are from Madeira, Morocco and East Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya) and Yemen. It is an evergreen perennials 6–100 cm tall in culture. The root system is fibrous, superficial, strongly branched, rapidly growing. Some Aeoniums form aerial roots for additional aeration and moisture absorption in the form of dew. Stems are simple or branched, short and thick, as in the Aeonium diplocyclum , or long and bent, as in Aeonium spathulatum. Rosettes of leathery highly decorative leaves resembling flowers reach 15‒30 cm in diameter. Leaf blades are fleshy, obovate or lobed, with rounded edges. Leaf color is green, purple, motley with various shades of red, white and yellow.
Most species bloom in late winter or spring. Loose branched inflorescences-panicles are formed in the center of the leaf sockets. The flowers are small, stellate. The color of the flowers is white, pink, reddish, yellow-orange or yellow.
Some popular species and varieties of Aeonium succulents are: Aeonium arboreum Zwartkop, which is distinguished by large rosettes of dark purple, almost black, leaves; Aeonium arboreum var. rubrolineatum is able to maintain the saturated green color of foliage with seasonal lack of lighting; Aeonium decorum Sunburst or Tricolor, is popular for the aesthetics of variegated foliage and a compact height of 45 cm; Aeonium tabuliforme with its decorative forms are shade-tolerant and suitable for rooms with a limited amount of sunlight; Aeonium Lemon & Lime with lush leaf rosettes grow up to 30 cm in diameter, have an original color: a dark green base with a vertical yellow stripe in the center of the sheet and a pink border at the edges...
AEONIUM SUCCULENTS CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Aeonium is sun-loving, therefore it is placed on a well-lit window of southeast or south-west orientation. But it is not recommended to leave the plant in direct sunlight.
Temperature:
During the period of active vegetation, the optimally moderately warm content at a temperature of 18‒25 ° C. In the period of rest from October to February, the temperature of the content decreases to 10–15 ° C, with minimization of irrigation and fertilizing.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Aeonium succulents needs a roomy container of classic proportions, with a wide top and a narrow bottom. The preferred capacity of natural material, for example, clay. The plant is ready to mix soil for succulents or peat substrate with perlite 2: 1. A neutral soil with a pH of 6.0‒7.0 or slightly acidic with a pH of 5.0‒6.0 is desirable. Since succulent roots suffer from excess moisture, drainage from terracotta, expanded clay or pebbles is mandatory.
Watering:
The plant is watered moderately, to constantly maintain the light moisture of the earthy coma. Be sure to remove excess water from the pan. Spraying the outside of the succulent is not recommended. To avoid the appearance of unaesthetic spots and stains on the leaves of Aeonium, it should be watered with softened filtered water at room temperature.
Fertilizer:
It is fed monthly, throughout the whole period of active growing season. Recommended complex fertilizers for room succulents and ornamental leaf plants. Top dressing is made in half of the dose recommended by the manufacturer. Excess nutrients in the soil is undesirable, because it activates pathogens of fungal infections.
Propagation:
Vegetative: Basically Aeonium propagates by vegetatively, spring and summer cuttings. The cuttings rooted in the peat-sand substrate 1: 1 at a temperature of 21 ° C. The stubs usually appear after two to three weeks. It is possible to grow a new plant from the leaf of the mother leaf, which takes root in the same substrate under a transparent cap. The germination of a leaf takes longer than the rooting of the stem.
From seeds: It is recommended to breed Aeonium seeds in early spring. Seeds are placed in a peat neutral or weakly acid substrate with the addition of perlite and sand. Sowing is superficial, in rows, with a slight pressing of the soil, but without dusting. After being covered with glass or transparent film, the seed container is placed in a lighted place with a temperature of 20‒22 ° C. As soon as the first shoots appear, it is necessary to remove the glass or film and provide the seedlings with a 12-hour light day.
Young Aeoniums should be moved to a new container annually, mature every two to three years. In order not to injure the roots, it is better to use the transfer method. At the same time, the new container should not be much larger than the previous pot.
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