Scientific Name
Aeonium sedifolium (Webb ex Bolle) Pit. & Proust.
Common Name(s)
Dwarf Aeonium
Synonym(s)
Aeonium decorum subsp. sedifolium, Aeonium decorum var. sedifolium, Aichryson sedifolium, Greenovia sedifolia, Sempervivum masferreri, Sempervivum sedifolium
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sempervivoideae
Tribe: Aeonieae
Genus: Aeonium
Origin
Aeonium sedifolium is native to the Canary Islands. It grows at an elevation of about 3,280 feet (1,000 m) in Tenerife (Teno massif), northern La Palma, and La Gomera.
Description
Aeonium sedifolium is a small, densely branched succulent shrub with stems that bear small rosettes of glossy, green to yellowish-green leaves with reddish stripes and many brownish lines near the apex. It can grow up to 16 inches (40 cm) tall, while the rosettes can reach up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) in diameter. The leaves are ovate or obovate, measuring up to 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) long, 0.4 inches (1 cm) wide, and 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) thick.
The flowers are yellow, star-shaped, 9- to 11-merous, and appear in clusters on stalks that can grow up to 3.2 inches (8 cm) tall in spring.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Aeoniums do not like hot or dry weather. Therefore, they may go dormant in summer and require no water except in arid conditions. In extreme heat, their leaves will curl to prevent excessive water loss. Growing them in moist shade will keep them growing, but their true growth season is winter to spring when temperatures are cool, 65 to 75 °F (18 to 24 °C), and damp. In the winter, water whenever the soil has dried out. Test by poking your finger down into the soil an inch or 2 (2.5 to 5 cm). Too much moisture or allowing them to sit in wet soil will cause root rot.
A sandy loam or regular potting mix is better than a mix specifically for cacti and succulents since Aeoniums need some moisture. If you are growing them in containers, repot them every 2 to 3 years with fresh potting soil.
Feed during the growing season with a half-strength balanced fertilizer every month or so. Do not feed while the plant is dormant.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Aeonium.
Hybrids
Links
- Back to genus Aeonium
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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