Scientific Name
Aeonium simsii (Sweet) Stearn
Synonym(s)
Sempervivum poculiforme, Sempervivum simsii
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sempervivoideae
Tribe: Aeonieae
Genus: Aeonium
Origin
Aeonium simsii is native to the Canary Islands. It occurs on Gran Canaria in rocky sites at elevations that range from 1,640 to 6,230 feet (500 to 1,900 m).
Description
Aeonium simsii is a well-branched succulent that forms dense clumps of short, stout branches that end in cup-shaped rosettes of yellowish-green leaves with longitudinal brownish stripes on the lower surface and conical cilia along the margins. It grows up to 12 inches (30 cm) tall. Rosettes are up to 4.8 inches (12 cm) in diameter. Leaves are thick, fleshy, lance-shaped, up to 2.4 inches (6 cm) long, and 0.8 inches (2 cm) wide. They may sometimes have a purplish-brown line down the middle of the upper surface.
The flowers are yellow, star-shaped, 7- to 9-merous, and appear in spring in flat-topped (or nearly so) clusters on densely leafy stalks that can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) tall.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 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. They may go dormant in summer and do not require any 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 (65–75˚F / 18–24˚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 two. 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.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Aeonium.
Propagate Aeoniums by stem cuttings, except for unbranched species, which die after flowering and are propagated from seed. Take cuttings when the plant is actively growing, usually in fall in USDA zones 9 through 11. Aeoniums go dormant in summer; cuttings taken while plants are dormant do not root. Each leaf rosette dies after it blooms.
See more at How to Propagate 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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