How to Grow & Care for Aeoniums (Tree Houseleeks)

Aeonium is a genus of about 35 perennial succulent plants characterized by their unusually glossy, waxy leaves arranged in rosettes. Also called tree houseleeks, the species range from low-growing varieties to larger species that reach up to 3 feet in maturity. The rounded leaves of the rosette structures are so perfect that these succulents are sometimes mistaken for artificial plants.These signature rosettes can be solid in color or variegated in white, yellow, red, and green. Small, star-like flowers grow in clusters from the center of the rosettes, but they are not particularly showy.

Aeoniums can be planted in the garden or indoors at any time. These are rather slow-growing plants and may take as many as five years before they produce the little bunches of flowers from the center of the rosettes. Mostaeoniumsare monocarpic, which means that the mother plant dies after flowering, but the pups (shoots) will continue to produce more shoots, as well.

Aeonium Care

These are the main care requirements for growing aeonium:

• Keep your aeonium plant in full or partial sunlight
• Keep soil moist but not wet or waterlogged
• Plant in sandy loam or a regular potting mix amended with perlite
• Grow in the ground as perennials in warm regions, or as potted plants on decks or patios in colder regions
• Fertilize during the growing season according to the maturity of your plant

Light

Keep your aeonium plant in full or partial sunlight. In hot summers and desert conditions, light shade may be necessary, especially during the hotter afternoon hours. If you're growing the plant indoors, place them in a window that gets bright, indirect light for at least six to eight hours a day. White or brown marks on the tips of their leaves are a sign that your aeonium plants are getting too much direct light and should be relocated.

Soil

Plant aeonium in sandy loam or a regular potting mix that has been amended with perlite. Avoid placing them in a mixture that's designated for succulents and cacti, since aeoniums need more moisture than this combination typically provides. If you're looking to grow your aeonium plants in a traditional garden bed that has dense soil, you should amend the mixture with peat moss to improve its porosity.

Water

Indoors, allow the soil to dry out to at least an inch or two before soaking at the base of the plant. When planted outdoors, aeonium plants should get all the water they need from rainfall. Outdoor plants will typically go dormant in the peak of summer and winter, during which time you can restrict watering significantly, only providing moisture when you notice the leaves beginning to shrivel. Though these plants do like more moisture than many other succulents, too much moisture or allowing them to sit in wet soil will cause root rot.

Temperature and Humidity

Growing aeoniums in moist and shaded soil will keep them growing in high heat, but their true growth season is late winter through spring when temperatures are cool (65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit) and damp. Most aeonium varieties are only hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11 which means, in many places, they will primarily be grown indoors.

Fertilizer

Feed your aeonium plants during their growing season with a half-strength balanced fertilizer. The frequency with which you fertilize your aeoniums will depend on their maturity and the nutritional density of your soil—young plants may benefit from monthly applications, while older plants can thrive off of a single feeding in the spring. Always fertilize the plants at soil level and avoid getting too much on their leaves. Do not feed while they're dormant.

Types of Aeonium

• Aeonium arboreum: This widely available plant has bright green rosettes on a branching stem. It has a shrubby form and can grow as tall as 6 feet in the garden, or 3 feet in containers.
• Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum': This 3- to 5-foot tall cultivar has maroon leaves if grown in bright light.​
• Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop' or 'Black Rose': This cultivar has very dark, deep burgundy or almost black leaves.​ It, too, is a fairly large plant.
• Aeonium 'Garnet': A hybrid cross of A. 'Zwarkop' and A. tabuliforme, this variety's leaves are green toward the middle and tipped with dark red.
• Aeonium davidbramwelli 'Sunburst': This variety is a shorter, 1- to 2-foot tall plant but has rosettes up to 1 foot across with pale yellow, white, and green stripes, and pink tips.
• Aeonium haworthii 'Tricolor' or 'Kiwi': An easy-growing 2- to 3-foot plant, it has 4-inch flowers that have pale yellow centers when young, maturing to red and green.
• Aeonium canariense 'Canary': This slow-growing plant will reach up to 24 inches tall and wide. It's known for its large, velvety rosettes.
• Aeonium tabuliforme 'Dinner Plate': This low-growing variety has a flat and wide green rosette. It's often difficult to find.
• Aeonium smithii 'Smith's Giant Houseleek': This plant has spoon or paddle-shaped leaves. While the leaves are green, they can have streaks of brown or purple on them. This plant can reach up to 12 inches tall.
• Aeonium valverdense: The rosette-shaped leaves on this species can range from green to dark maroon.
• Aeonium holochrysum: This species features green leaves with brown markings. This tall plant can grow up to 3 feet tall.

Propagating Aeonium

Like many succulents, aeoniums are very easy to propagate from cuttings—even stem pieces that fall off the plant may readily take root in the surrounding soil. Propagating aeoniums should be done in the spring when the plant is in the thick of its growing season. Here’s how to propagate aeonium from cuttings:

1. Using a very sharp, clean cutting tool, cut off a younger stem piece containing a leaf rosette. Place the cutting on its side in a dry, warm, and shady spot for about three days to allow the cut end to heal. (The callus is important because it will prevent root rot once the cutting is planted.)
2. Fill a small pot with a mixture of half potting soil and half cactus or succulent potting mix. Place the severed, callused end of the cutting into the potting mix, just deep enough to hold it upright. Place the pot in bright indirect light and water it lightly once each week. Make sure to choose a pot with ample drainage at the base to avoid rot.
3. Once the plant has developed strong roots, allow the top 2 inches of soil to dry out before watering. Repot into a larger container as needed.

Potting and Repotting Aeonium

When potting your aeonium, look for a container that boasts ample drainage holes at its base, which will help you avoid soggy soil, standing water, and root rot. A container made of a moisture-wicking material, like terra-cotta or clay, can also be an effective way to maintain the right soil moisture.

Look to pot (or repot) your aeonium during the spring months, when the plants are in their active growing period. You should refresh the soil annually, either by topping off your existing container or potting up the plant if it has outgrown its current vessel. Signs your aeonium has gotten too large for its container include slowed growth, the soil is drying out too quickly, or the roots are coming out of the base. Generally, most varietals will be ready for a new pot every two to three years.

Overwintering

Aeonium prefer a Mediterranean climate that is not too warm or too cold. If grown in containers, take them inside before the first frost. This plant is hardy to 25-30°F.

Common Pests

Aeoniums attract the typical aphids, mealybugs, mites, and scale. However, ants can also be an issue. Aphids and mealybugs secrete sugary substances that attract the ants to succulents. It's not easy getting rid of ants from succulents with tight buds or rosette leaves. Your best chance is to put ant bait next to the plants to draw them out. After the ants are gone, then you concentrate on eliminating the other pests. Treat the plant with a spray of water or mild insecticidal soap to remove these insects.

Common Problems With Aeoniums

This succulent is simultaneously easy and tricky to care for because some of its normal behavior can make you think the plant is dying. Here are a few tips when caring for aeoniums.

Plant Leaves Falling Off

It's completely normal for the bottom leaves of the rosette to shed. The rosette may close up a bit, too. Even if the plant looks like it's dying, it's likely going through its dormant stage, which takes place during winter and summer (especially if grown outdoors). There is nothing required of you to "treat" this issue—simply leave the plant alone to rest and do not try to help it.

However, if you are noticing leaves falling from your plant during an unexpected time, it could be a sign that the succulent is stressed. You can tell the subtle difference if the plant is stressed or not by noticing if the rosette is closing up or curling along with leaf shedding. If you think that's the case, give the plant a drink of water and see if the rosettes open up a bit and uncurl, though the leaves may continue to shed.

Browning Leaves

If the plant is getting too much sunlight, the leaves will become sunburned and may appear white or brown at the edges. Unfortunately, there is no reversing this damage. You can simply remove the scorched leaves or wait for them to naturally fall off, and move the plant to a spot with slightly less direct sunlight.

Dying Mother Branch

If you have a branching aeonium with the main mother plant that has flowered, the branch will appear to be dying. It is dying, but you can save the plant by using a sharp, clean cutting tool to cut off the head where the rosette and flowers already bloomed. It may not look very pretty at first, but the branch should have babies (shoots) on it that will continue to grow and eventually flower.

From: thespruce