Eternal Aeoniums And Their Complex Nature. Home Care. Photo

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:13

Among indoor succulents, there are many plants both with a classic appearance and flaunting their unusual details. One of the most popular representatives of the Tolstyankov family, aeonium is rightfully considered a plant not only hardy and long-lived (which is what its name says), but also extremely effective. Succulent leaves, gathered in flower-like rosettes, most often rise on bare shoots, creating the feeling of exotic trees in a mini-format. And although it is not so easy to grow aeoniums, they can become real stars of large indoor collections, and decorate a table setting or a work corner.

Content:

• Juicy green rosettes-flowers of aeoniums
• Aeonium care at home
• Pruning aeonium
• Aeonium transplant and substrate
• Diseases and pests of aeonium
• Reproduction of aeoniums

Juicy green rosettes-flowers of aeoniums

The appearance of aeoniums reminds many flower growers of a garden star from among succulents - an amazing "stone rose" young. Aeonium indeed forms rosettes of leaves, also similar to rose or dahlia flowers. But these plants are completely different in nature and can boast of a much greater variety in height, and in the form of growth, and in the color of the leaves. Among the aeoniums there are both the most modest and unremarkable indoor succulents, the beauty of which can only be appreciated closely, and imposing exotic plants, in which it is not so easy to recognize the decorative leafy culture from the Tolstyankov family.

Aeonium is a large genus of succulents that develop in the form of compact shrubs or herbaceous crops. These are real long-lived plants that have been introduced into the interior of rooms for decades. As with all succulents, the aeonium is characterized by fleshy, water-accumulating leaves and shoots. Stems are strong, straight, branching or growing one at a time, gradually lignified and flaunting marks from fallen old leaves, resembling scars. Some aeonium species develop spectacular aerial roots.

The height of these plants ranges from a modest 10-15 cm to almost 1 m. At the same time, in different species, the stems can be either pronounced, resemble woody plants, or almost completely hide under squat rosettes of leaves. Fleshy leaves are always sessile, taper towards the base, resemble petals or rhombuses in shape. A sparse edge or an absolute glossy surface is combined with edges decorated with thin white eyelashes or small denticles.

The leaves are collected in very dense, flower-like rosettes, arranged in tiles, patterned. The rosettes range in diameter from a few centimeters to almost 1 m, but are always located at the ends of the stems.

The color of the leaves varies from the usual light green to various reddish, brown, purple shades, most often unevenly distributed over the leaf blade. In indoor conditions, aeonium blooms very rarely. The pyramidal clusters of bright yellow inflorescences are very effective and last a long time. But the lack of flowering has its plus. Species that develop a single rosette of leaves most often die after flowering.

The best types of indoor aeoniums are rightfully ranked as:

1. Aeonium noble (Aeonium nobile) - a spectacular room with a succulent curving to the edge, very juicy olive leaves forming rosettes tsvetkoobraznye to half a meter in diameter.
2. Eonium Burchard (Aeonium x burchardii) is a medium-sized, but very effective hybrid species with a fairly dark beautiful stem and rosettes of leaves up to 10 cm in diameter, in which the pointed tip and brownish-orange edge turn into a bright green color at the base of the leaf.
3. Decorative aeonium (Aeonium decorum) is one of the most spectacular branching species of aeonium, which develops in the form of a surprisingly delicate, loose shrub whose leaf rosettes rise to a height of 50 cm. Rough shoots with diamond-shaped scars and densely located whitish outgrowths are crowned with elegant, graceful, rosettes like miniature roses. Green-pinkish smooth leaves up to 3 mm long look like young rose leaves thanks to the small sharp teeth along the edge.
4. Eonium canary (Aeonium canariense) seems to consist of some rosettes. The stems of this succulent are practically invisible; the rosette of leaves, especially in young plants, practically lies on the ground. The leaves are unusually large, with an original curvature of the leaf blades, an unusual color that seems brown-green. Gradually, the rosette of leaves becomes loose, in diameter it can reach about half a meter.
5. Eonium virginsky (Aeonium canariense var.virgineum) is a charming succulent, the most attractive part of which is the thick cilia along the edge of the leaf blades. It forms almost flat, very beautiful rosettes of rounded leaves. It produces many leaves, which together form a kind of pillows of numerous green flowers. The velveteen-like edge, rich green color and light aroma that comes from the greens only add charm to this amazing succulent.
6. Aeonium home (Aeonium domesticum, now renamed the hybrid aichryson home (Aichryson x domesticum)) and branching is strong enough, but it is limited to a height of just 30 cm. It is beautiful practically open, curving only the top branches and darker leaves obovate shapes with a rounded edge. The rosettes of the leaves of this aeonium resemble zinnia inflorescences.
7. Eonium undulatum (Aeonium undulatum) is a spectacular, but somewhat unusual and very powerful plant with a thick, silvery scarred stem and large, half-open bud-shaped rosettes of leaves up to 30 cm in diameter located at the top of the shoots. The leaves of this species are round, strongly narrowed at the base, densely set, with a bright color.
8. Eonium arboreal (Aeonium arboreum) is a spectacular shrub with practically no branching shoots, woody only at the base, dense rosettes of leaves of which are located at the tops of the shoots, painted mainly brown with occasional splashes of light green. Rosettes of leaves reach 20 cm in diameter, spatulate in shape, appear more lush due to different bending angles.
9. Golden aeonium (Aeonium arboretum var. Holochrysum) forms original bushes with straight, slightly hanging only at the ends of the shoots and narrow spatulate, very thick leaves, with a purple stripe along the edge of the leaf and in the very center. The yellow-green color in combination with the colored stripes looks very colorful. Rosettes of leaves reach 20 cm in diameter.
10. Eonium Lindleyi (Aeonium lindleyi) - compact, reaching a height of only 30 cm, but highly branched shrub with very thin curved brown shoots, crowned with dense small rosettes of dark green color. Slightly pubescent leaves with a round edge resemble stonecrop foliage. The foliage of this species is sticky and quite aromatic.
11. Layered aeonium (Aeonium tabuliforme) is one of the shortest species, forming a sitting, almost flat plate-shaped rosette of sitting, tiled leaves, creating a kind of green “cobblestone” up to 50 cm in diameter. The stem is very shortened, almost invisible. The leaves, narrow at the base, turn into an extended spatulate upper edge with beautiful whitish cilia. It stands out for its perfect symmetry and stunningly beautiful tile patterns.
12. Aeonium Haworth (Aeonium haworthii) - spectacular branching "tree" with unusual widely spaced thin stems and massive aerial roots that seem to prop arcuate curving shoots. On the tops of the stem, dense rosettes similar to green flowers are located with gray-green leaves decorated with a reddish stripe along the edge.

Almost all aeoniums are represented not only by species, but also by decorative varietal forms. All Variegatum varieties and the so-called “black” varieties are especially popular.

Aeonium care at home

It is very easy to grow aeonium. This is a photophilous succulent plant, sensitive to an excess of moisture, which, despite its natural preferences for cool wintering, tolerates well even with room temperatures. It is not at all difficult to care for the aeonium, this plant is suitable even for novice flower growers. Compact and surprisingly beautiful in detail, they require attention in only one parameter - the aeoniums are intended to be admired. These are piecemeal accents that deserve a special place in the interior.

Lighting for aeonium

Without exception, all aeoniums are sun-loving plants, which even in winter require the selection of the most brightly lit locations. In varietal plants, as well as in species with variegated leaf color, any shading causes a complete loss of characteristic color. Moreover, even in light partial shade, in any aeonium, the stems become much thinner, elongated, bent, and the plants form small and not so spectacular rosettes.

For this indoor succulent, it is advisable to select only southern locations on the windowsills. The windows oriented strictly south or southeast are considered optimal. Moreover, during the hottest period in summer, when the plants are in temperatures outside the optimal range, it is better to protect the fleshy leaves of this succulent from the sun's rays.

Eonium already needs to be placed in the brightest places in the room, so in winter it is simply impossible to increase the illumination for it. This succulent does not like artificial lighting in any form.

Comfortable temperature

Despite its love for the brightest possible lighting, Eonium cannot be ranked as heat-loving plants. This culture looks most effective only when maintaining optimal conditions, alternating different modes of maintenance in the phase of active development and during the rest period. Eonium feels great at air temperatures from 20 to 25 degrees during spring and summer. Lower temperatures can be detrimental for a plant, but higher temperatures can increase the sensitivity to direct sunlight and the dependence of plants on fresh air.

In winter, all types of aeonium, without exception, prefer coolness, content in a temperature range of 10 to 12 degrees. But at the same time, you should not be afraid of ordinary room conditions. Unlike many other plants, the aeonium adapts well to normal indoor conditions even during the winter. It's just that the plant will form fewer outlets, and their diameter will decrease slightly.

Eonium can be safely ranked among indoor cultures that adore fresh air. In summer, it feels great outdoors, in the garden or on the balcony. In this case, the mandatory callout affects the beauty and attractiveness of both the leaf rosettes themselves and the color of the leaf plates. Eonium can be kept outdoors all summer long. It is taken out as soon as the night temperatures rise above 10 degrees Celsius and left until the moment when the first cold weather comes. During the rest of the year, the plant needs to be ventilated as often as possible.

Watering and air humidity

Like all succulents, aeoniums need fairly moderate watering. Between procedures, the soil should have time to dry out almost completely. Thanks to more rare watering, the plant can be grown even by very busy growers. In the winter period, the procedures should be very rare at all, only not allowing the substrate to dry completely (but the humidity is significantly reduced compared to the period of active development).

The most difficult thing in watering this succulent is the need to very carefully carry out the procedure itself. Water should not fall on the base of the outlet and the stem, and drops should in no case accumulate in the center of the bush. Wetting the stems for aeonium is the most common cause of the spread of a variety of rot and fungal infections. Therefore, watering for this plant must be carried out strictly along the edge of the pot.

But the increase in air humidity is absolutely not necessary for the aeonium. They perfectly tolerate even the driest air and the operation of heating systems; they do not even need rare spraying, including during the hottest periods in summer. In fact, all moisturizing procedures are reduced to the regular removal of accumulated dust.

Feeding for aeonium

This succulent needs fertilizers only during the period of active growth from spring to summer. At the same time, feeding for aeoniums is carried out even less often than for cacti. For this plant, one procedure every 2-3 weeks is enough.

Fertilizer mixes for cactus or other succulents are best suited for aeonium.

Pruning aeonium

If necessary, aeonium tolerates formative non-cardinal pruning well. Plants need it only if the shoots are excessively thin, stretched out, the plants lose their decorative effect. In early spring, at the first signs of the onset of growth, overgrown, twisted shoots are cut and used for rooting. On the remaining stumps, aeoniums usually form a large number of young rosettes.

Aeonium transplant and substrate

Like all succulents, aeoniums need a permeable, very light and friable substrate. Optimal for it are soil mixtures, consisting of equal parts of leafy, soddy soil, coarse sand and peat. Suitable for the characteristics of this plant and ready-made substrate for cacti. The addition of charcoal to the soil prevents most diseases of the aeonium.

Plant transplanting will also not cause trouble for flower growers. Only young plants are transplanted annually, but adults need to replace the container and substrate only once every 2-3 years. Plants can be reloaded or partially removed from the substrate. But since aeoniums are hypersensitive to root rot, a high drainage layer with a minimum height of 7-8 cm must be laid for them. It is advisable to keep the level of deepening the same.

Diseases and pests of aeonium

Aeoniums cannot boast of enviable resistance to pests and diseases. They are especially fond of mealybugs, which settle in dense rosettes between leaves. It is very easy to notice damage by pests, because of them, growth immediately stops, the attractive appearance of the outlets gradually changes to neglected. It is better to fight any pests by mechanical washing with soapy water. Insecticides for this culture are used only as a last resort.

Various fungal diseases are very common on the aeoniums. But they appear in the plant only when the care is disturbed, in particular, with inaccurate watering, during which the base of the bush or rosettes gets wet.

Common growing problems:

• stretching of shoots, curvature of the plant and loss of attractive appearance in insufficient bright lighting;
• the appearance of yellow and brown spots with waterlogging;
• the appearance of dark areas on the leaves in the shade;
• depressed appearance, loss of color in the absence of access to fresh air.

Reproduction of aeoniums

These succulents are very easy to propagate. For aeoniums, both the method of obtaining new plants from seeds and rooting of apical cuttings are suitable.

The seeds of the plant are very small, they are simply scattered over the surface, without covering them with a substrate, and after light spraying with a sprayer, they are covered with film or glass. If the air temperature exceeds 20 degrees Celsius, then they germinate very quickly and give amicable shoots. Growing a plant requires a gradual change in individual containers.

Cutting is an even simpler method. For rooting in aeonium, stems with rosettes of leaves at the top are used. Shoots are cut with a sharp knife at an angle of 45 degrees, immediately processing the cut surface with crushed coal and letting it dry for 2-3 days. Then the cuttings with rosettes of leaves are planted in a pot with a mixture of leafy soil and sand or in clean sand, deepening 2-3 cm. With moderate watering and light substrate moisture, plants form roots even without greenhouse conditions, but they need to be kept in diffused lighting.