Some succulents are so cute you just can’t take your eyes off them. The tree aeonium is definitely one of them!
A succulent tree
The tree aeonium is a succulent belonging to the stonecrop family. The plant is native to Madera, the Canary Islands and Morocco. Thanks to its stems’, more or less upright or ascending and not net-like, the plant looks like a small tree. If potted, the plant grows up to 60 cm. The biggest asset of the plant, however, is its juicy and oblong leaves that form decorative rosettes.
The succulent is sensitive to negative temperatures, so that is why in colder countries it can only be grown potted. There are many varieties available, differing in terms of leaf color.
Some of the most popular varieties:
•’Schwarzkopf’ – slightly glossy, almost black leaves
•’Atropurpureum’ – the edges of the leaves are purple
•’Albovariegatum’ – the leaves have got white and green stripes
•’Haworthii’ – green and yellow leaves with a purple edge.
The preferences
Location
The plant prefers bright and sunny window sills (western and southern). In the summer you can put it on the balcony or terrace. When the aeonium has too little sun, it will drop its leaves and the shoots will grow much longer. That means you have to put the plant somewhere else.
Temperature
In the summer the plant prefers higher temperatures. In the winters much lower are preferred (15 C). That is why the pots should not be put anywhere above heaters or radiators.
Watering
In the summer you need to water it once a week and every two weeks in the spring and the fall. In the winter it should be done even less frequently – every three or four weeks. It is important to avoid sprinkling the leaves and to protect them against the rain.
The medium
The best one is the dedicated soil for succulents and cacti, available in all gardening stores.
