Aeonium, decorative and very resistant

El Aeonium It is a highly decorative genus of plants so easy to care for that it is considered suitable for beginners. It looks great in any sunny area, as a centerpiece or planted on a rockery. Being fast growing and being able to multiply by stem cuttings, you can get a nice corner with different Aeonium species in less time than you imagine.

In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics and care that the Aeonium has.

Genus Aeonium

Our protagonist is a plant belonging to the Crasssulaceae family. The genus comprises some 75 accepted species distributed by the Canary Islands, Madeira, Morocco and East Africa. The leaves form a rosette around a firm succulent stem, which can be shorter or shorter depending on the species, but they do not usually exceed 60cm in height.

The flowers are grouped in 15-20cm inflorescences, and are yellow in color. They usually sprout in late winter, but they can also sprout in spring. One of the peculiarities is that, after flowering, this stem withers and dies.

Key features

The best known species of the genus Aeonium is the Aeonium arboreum. It is the species that is most cultivated thanks to its ornamental power. Almost all the plants of this genus are native to the Canary Islands and are considered unique plants to decorate our gardens and give them a tropical appearance. They can be found throughout the Mediterranean Basin area and in island areas such as Sardinia or Sicily and in some areas, although less frequent, such as Morocco and all of East Africa.

Among the characteristics of this plant we find a bushy bearing with branched stems that form dense rosettes. Being from the crassulaceae family, its leaves are fleshy since they are capable of storing water. Depending on the species and the variety that we are dealing with, we can find different types of colors in the leaves. We can use this set of colors to decorate our garden according to other species of plants with which they mix well. We find a variety of colors ranging from green to almost black and shiny purple.

Perhaps the most ornamental look these plants have is that they have a glossy satin color that has a special appeal. Some species of this genus such as the Aeonium arboreum they can reach a meter in height. This is one of the most characteristic plants of this group since it has very long inflorescences composed of yellow flowers.

Aeonium arboreum

This plant is quite impressive for decoration since they generate a very interesting contrast. The additional advantage that this plant can have over others is that its flowers last much longer on the plant. That is, we can enjoy its maximum beauty in the decoration of the gardens for a longer time since the flowering is kept alive.

This plant needs to be cultivated outdoors since it needs a direct incidence of the sun. One of the most striking aspects of the Aeonium arboreum is that the incidence of the sun produces an accentuation in the purple tones and get a gradient between green and purple. This gradient can be observed from the heart of the rosette to the tip of the leaf and has a high ornamental value.

Among the general care that he needed the Aeonium arboreum we have to bear in mind that they do not resist frost well. It can withstand temperature logs below zero degrees for a short period of time. However, if that period is lengthening, you can suffer damage to your tissues. It is recommended to grow it outdoors in areas with mild climates.

Regarding sun exposure, we must bear in mind that they belong to the crassulaceae family. Here we see that the Aeonium needs direct sun, although it also needs semi-shade. If we are going to place it in a semi-shadow area, we must bear in mind that it will need as much light as possible. Regarding irrigation, your water needs are. Watering during the summer will have to be done when the soil is completely dry. In winter it is preferable not to water.

It does not need a very demanding substrate, but a sandy substrate with very good drainage is enough. We must not forget that it is a plant that does not tolerate waterlogging. The multiplication of this plant is quite complicated by seed. However, it is done very easily by cutting. The cutting is the best option since it can be done from the leaf, stem or even the entire rosette. With only that the stem is embedded and in a sandy substrate with the characteristics mentioned above, it is very likely that it will root.

Caring for other plants of the genus Aeonium

If you want to have one or more copies, below we offer you a series of tips so that you can decorate your home or garden with them:

• Location: place them in an area where they receive a lot of natural light, if possible directly.
• Soil or substrate: they are not demanding, but to avoid rotting due to excess humidity it is highly recommended to plant them in soils or substrates that have very good drainage. To know more about this topic, we invite you to read this article.
• Irrigation: every time the substrate is dry.
• Subscriber: throughout the growing season -from spring to late summer, being able to extend until autumn if you live in a mild climate- they should be fertilized with mineral fertilizers, such as Nitrofoska, adding a small spoonful once every 15 days.
• Transplant / Planting time: at the end of winter, when the risk of frost has passed.
• Multiplication: by stem cuttings in spring or summer.
• Rusticity: most species prefer warm climates. The A. arboreum it can hold up to -4ºC, but the others are very cold and that is why you have to protect them from frost.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the care and characteristics of the plants of the genus Aeonium.