Scientific Name
Aeonium spathulatum (Hornem.) Praeger
Synonym(s)
Aeonium bentejui, Aeonium spathulatum var. cruentum, Aldasorea strepsiclada, Sempervivum barbatum, Sempervivum spathulatum
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sempervivoideae
Tribe: Aeonieae
Genus: Aeonium
Origin
Aeonium spathulatum is native to the Canary Islands. It occurs on La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria at elevations ranging from 820 to 8,200 feet (250 to 2,500 m).
Description
Aeonium spathulatum is a small, densely branched succulent shrub with spoon-shaped leaves arranged in rosettes at the end of the branches. It can grow up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall. The rosettes are flattish to distinctly cup-shaped, with inner leaves more or less erect, and can reach a diameter of 2 inches (5 cm). The leaves are slightly sticky and can measure up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) long and 0.4 inches (1 cm) wide. They are green, becoming slightly red when exposed to intense light, with conspicuous longitudinal brownish tannic stripes on the lower surface and bead-shaped cilia along the margins.
The plant will bloom within a few years. The flowers are star-shaped, 8- to 9-merous, with yellow petals, often with reddish lines. They appear in clusters on leafy stalks that can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) tall in spring. The flower clusters can reach a height of 4 inches (10 cm) and a diameter of 6 inches (15 cm).
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11b: from 20 °F (−6.7 °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
Photo Gallery
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
