“Cut off the tops of aeoniums when they become lanky, leaving about an inch or two of stem, then discard the entire plant, roots and all. Each rosette should be repotted as a cutting. Put it in the ground so that it is barely above the surface.
Where is aeonium cut?
Aeoniums flourish in bright, dry environments whether they are grown indoors or outside. They perform best in exceptionally well-drained soil or in a gravel garden because they retain water in their thick, fleshy leaves and require very little water. They are suitable for coastal gardens since their foliage is wind-resistant. Grow them in pots if your garden doesn’t meet the requirements, either by themselves or alongside other bedding plants that can withstand drought, such pelargoniums. Give aeoniums a bright area where they can get some direct sunlight if you’re growing them inside.
How to plant an aeonium
When planting an aeonium, good drainage is essential. They struggle in compost that is chilly and moist because the stem and roots rot.
The best container is made of terracotta since it is porous and lets the soil dry out between waterings. Make sure the pot has a drainage hole; it’s crucial for any extra water to be able to drain. For drainage, place a layer of 2-3 cm of gravel, grit, or crocks at the bottom of the pot. A pot the same size as the rootball should be chosen. Use a 60:40 mixture of peat-free, multipurpose compost (or a John Innes number 2) and perlite, horticultural grit, or sand to create a free-draining compost because this is crucial. A 1 cm coating of horticultural grit could be placed on top of the compost to aid in drainage and prevent stem rot.
When planting an aeonium with a flat top, like the Aeonium tabuliforme, tilt the container so that rainfall can readily flow off it outside.
Make sure your soil is free draining before planting an aeonium; sandy soil or a gravel garden are perfect.
Caring for aeoniums
Aeoniums are native to hot, dry regions that occasionally see intense downpours. If you’re growing aeoniums inside, attempt to mimic this process by letting the soil totally dry out before giving it a good watering and letting any extra water drain away. This approach is superior to watering sparingly but frequently. Reduce watering in summer and winter because aeoniums are actively growing in the fall and spring.
Rainfall should provide your aeoniums with all the water they require if you’re keeping them outside, whether in a garden or a pot.
From winter through late spring, you can feed your aeonium once a month with a half-strength plant food.
As long as their compost is not damp, aeoniums can tolerate cold winter temperatures as long as the temperature does not fall below 5C. However, they cannot tolerate frost.
How to propagate aeoniums
Aeoniums are easily multiplied by taking cuttings, which will root in a few weeks. In the spring, take cuttings. Choose tender, fresh shoots for proliferation. Compared to older, thicker shoots, these will root more readily and have greater vigor.
Cut healthy shoots with stems that are about 10 cm long. To prevent leaving a snag, stabilize the stem in your hand and cut it flush with the main stem. To make an accurate cut, use sharp secateurs.
Once the wound has calloused, turn the cuttings on their side and keep them somewhere dry and warm for a few days (see cutting on left of picture). This will lessen the possibility that the cutting may subsequently develop rot.
Insert cuttings into grit- and soil-based potting compost that is 5 cm or 8 cm deep into the pots. Make sure that at least half of the stem is above compost level and firm the compost at the cutting’s base.
After lightly wetting each cutting, add a 1 cm layer of crushed grit or perlite to the compost surface. Shake the pot to create a flat surface. This layer enhances drainage, keeping the stem dry.
Keep your cuttings indoors, in a well-lit area like a sunny windowsill, at a temperature of 18–20°C while keeping them uncovered. Make sure not to water straight onto the leaves as you water your cuttings sparingly until they have rooted. Always strive to keep the compost just barely damp.
Growing aeoniums: problem solving
- The most frequent cause of aeonium issues is overwatering. Aeoniums are native to hot, dry climates, and they look their best when your home or garden mimics these conditions.
- The cause of washed-out, pale foliage may be excessive irrigation. Reduce watering and wait till the compost is totally dry before watering it again. If you’re cultivating an aeonium as a house plant, you could also discover that taking it outside in the summer will bring back its brilliant color.
- In the summer, it’s typical to see a closed-up rosette with dried leaves around the edge that are falling off. When it’s hot, aeoniums go dormant.
- A stretched-out, leggy plant indicates that it is not receiving enough light. Place it in a more well-lit area.
- Aerial roots are concealed by hairy stems. They occasionally develop naturally and pose little threat. However, they can indicate that your plant isn’t growing in the ideal environment. It’s possible that the soil’s roots aren’t receiving enough water. This should be avoided by giving the compost a thorough watering before letting it dry out. Watering sparingly is also ineffective because the compost needs the water to permeate deeply. On the other hand, if no perlite, sand, or grit was added to the compost before planting, they can be an indication that it isn’t free draining enough. Aerial roots may also indicate that your plant needs to be replanted or that it is rootbound and not receiving enough light.
- Rot is indicated by a brown, mushy stem and is brought on by overwatering, especially during the winter.
- As aeoniums are monocarpic, they die after flowering, thus if your plant starts to wither after flowering, this is typical. On branching variations, just the rosette that gave rise to the flower will wither away, though. The plant will continue to grow even if the flower head and rosette are removed.
- Mealybugs, which are white, fluffy blobs around 5mm in diameter, may be seen on the vegetation. Use a cotton pad dipped in organic pesticide to wipe them off.
- For plants raised in pots outside, vine weevil can be an issue. The first indication you may notice is a plant that is suddenly dying since these eat the roots covertly. Adults on the leaves and white grubs in the compost should be avoided. If you see any, get rid of right away. In late August or early September, treat with an organic nematode drench.
Advice on buying aeoniums
- Aeoniums come in a wide range of sizes, with some reaching up to 1 m by 1 m, like Aeonium arboreum. So be sure you have space for the variety you’ve chosen. It will require a lot of bright light indoors or in a sunny area outside.
- Verify that your plant has robust, meaty leaves and is not writhing awkwardly.
- Aeoniums are available at garden centers, but for the best selection, go to a store that specializes in succulents or house plants, or order online.
Are aeoniums sun-loving plants?
Light. Aeonium plants do best in full sun to part shade, like the majority of succulents. Light shade may be required in desert and hot summer climates. Give them bright indirect light inside.
Aeoniums do they get leggy?
The rosette grows a long, naked stalk that lolls around unattractively as my echeverias and aeoniums expand. A new rosette doesn’t form as it would in most plants if you severely prune the stalk. How can I restore them to their initial condition?
Low light levels are causing your echeverias and aeoniums to grow leggy. They require a warm environment with plenty of sunlight; if there isn’t enough, they will leave in search of it.
You might be pruning them too severely and removing the top half of the plant, which you ought to maintain. Just below the bottom leaf, trim the rosette so that there is an inch or two of stem remaining. Leave this for a day or two in a warm, shaded area so that the stem can harden and begin to form new roots. In a pot with fresh compost and heaps of grit for drainage, place this next. To prevent it from drying out while it reroots, keep it away of direct sunshine. Move it to a sunny location once this is finished.
Echeveria leaves can also be used for propagation. Let the leaves callus over before gently tucking the base into some soil so it lies on its side. They will miraculously reroot. Before you begin spreading, you should view several YouTube videos.
How should a leggy succulent be pruned?
- The plant should be cut, leaving approximately an inch or so of stem at the base.
- For a day or two, or longer if your area is humid, leave the stem cuttings in a dry location away from direct sunshine to dry. Launder and seal the wound. To hasten the rooting process, it is optional to dip the cuttings in rooting hormone.
- Put the cuttings in a well-draining potting mix after the cut has healed. Perlite and a cactus mixture are my preferred combinations (1:1 solution). You can find soil and soil amendments here.
- Every few days or whenever the soil gets dry, mist or water the area.
- The stem cuttings usually take two weeks or longer to root.
- Avoid direct sunshine and keep watering every few days or whenever the soil starts to feel dry.
- When the plant reaches maturity, increase sunshine while reducing watering.
The portion of the plant from which the cuttings were taken will keep expanding and generating new growth. Rarely, the base will stop expanding and eventually disappear. However, if this occurs, hopefully you have already grown new plants from the stem cuttings.
Decide where to cut the plant. In order to conveniently put the plant you are cutting into soil and propagate it, you should ideally have at least half an inch of stem on the bottom of the plant.
When you cut the plant, make sure to salvage as many of the roots as possible. These already have roots sprouting, so they will thrive when replanted in soil.
Aeoniums can be propagated from leaves.
Cuttings of offsets can be used to quickly propagate Aeonium Arboreum. The first few weeks of spring are ideal for propagation. Summer dormancy at the Aeonium Arboreum makes summer months a challenging time for propagation.
After cutting an offset or a branch, place it in a shaded, dry area for about 24 hours before planting it either in the ground or in a pot filled with succulent potting soil. In 3–4 weeks, roots should start to show. See our post on how to take and plant succulent cuttings for further information on how to propagate cuttings.
It’s improbable that Aeonium Arboreum would develop a brand-new plant from a leaf. Some roots might emerge from the leaves, but they almost definitely won’t give rise to any new plants.
We have never succeeded in growing Aeonium plants from their leaves, and we don’t think any Aeonium species can do it.
However, arboreum can be grown from seed. To be really honest, it is not really worth the time and effort it will take to grow a plant that is a respectable size.
A well-rooted plant will begin to produce a lot of offsets in the fall. A modest cutting can develop into a healthy-sized “tree” with numerous easy-to-produce offsets in a few years.
Why do the leaves of aeonium droop?
Aeoniums might initially seem confusing, but I’ve learned a lot about how to take care of them over the years. In fact, due to how simple and dependable they have been, they have become one of my go-to succulents.
There is generally an explanation and a simple fix for your aeoniums if they are exhibiting indications of stress like drooping or falling leaves.
Let’s look at some of the most likely causes of falling leaves and wilting aeoniums.
Aeoniums Dropping their LeavesIs this Normal?
Old leaves of aeoniums fall off starting at the bottom. Aeoniums naturally shed their old leaves as they grow new ones. More so than other succulent plants, aeoniums frequently drop or shed their old leaves. These leaves frequently appear dried out, wilted, and occasionally droopy.
On the underside of the plant, the leaves may appear droopy and some will be dried up and brown if they don’t fall off naturally. You may easily remove these leaves by pulling them out or by leaving them alone and waiting for them to fall off on their own.
It’s typically not a problem and your aeoniums are acting normally if you observe leaves falling off of them.
Aeoniums also drop or shed their leaves as they go through dormancy and when stressed, in addition to doing so as new leaves emerge. Continue reading to learn more.
Aeoniums Shedding All of their Leaves and DroopingAre they Dying?
Your aeoniums are probably just going through dormancy when they have lost the majority of their leaves and appear to be dying. Aeoniums develop actively during the fall, winter, and spring seasons, unlike other succulents.
When it’s hot and dry outside or throughout the summer, they go dormant, especially if they’re left out in the sun.
Aeoniums lose a lot of their bottom leaves during this time, giving the impression that there aren’t many left on the plant. The rosettes also begin to collapse, giving the impression that the plant is drooping and the stems are barren. Although the plant may appear to be dying and to be in poor health, this is very normal behavior for aeoniums, especially those that are exposed to intense heat and sunlight during the summer.
The aeoniums go into hibernation at this time, and little activity or growth is anticipated. This is also the time to avoid making any major changes to the plant and to let it alone. For example, you wouldn’t want to take stem cuttings from a plant that is dormant.
Alternatively, you do not need to start fertilizing the plant heavily in a panic. Simply let the plant to rest throughout this period. Only because it is so hot and dry where I am and I don’t want my plants to fully dry out do I continue to water them as usual during dormancy.
Some individuals choose not to water their aeoniums when they are dormant, which is acceptable if you live in a humid environment. Dormancy often occurs once annually, throughout the summer. Aeonium plants, however, can go into hibernation at any time if they are subjected to extremely hot and dry conditions, depending on where you live and where they are located.
For instance, you might be experiencing a heatwave during an especially warm October. Even if it’s not the summer, the aeoniums will exhibit the same dormant habit.
Dormancy can occur depending on the weather at the time and not only the season. So the aeoniums can also bypass dormancy entirely if the summer is moderate with little to no strong heat.
Aeoniums Will Shed Leaves when Under Stress
Aeoniums also lose their leaves when stressed, like during a severe heatwave or when submerged. An underwatered aeonium will shed its bottom leaves to save energy and water; if underwatering continues, the aeonium will keep shedding leaves and the rosettes will close.
They will behave and appear as though they are going through dormancy.
The plant does this to conserve the water and energy it needs to survive. Aeoniums seem to require a bit more water than other succulents, in my opinion. The leaves will curl, dry out, and fall off if they don’t get enough water.
Aeoniums enjoy getting lots of water. I don’t mist my aeoniums; instead, I give them a decent drink every 10 to 14 days, and more frequently in the summer. Once more, my area is terribly dry. If you reside in a humid location, you won’t need to water as frequently.
If you’ve been underwatering your aeoniums and you’ve started to notice these symptoms, just raise the watering, and they’ll almost instantly perk back up. So, if you were watering once a month, raise it to once every two to three weeks and observe the results.
Aeonium Leaves Turn Brown and Fall Off from Sunburn
Aeoniums favor an area that is well-lit and sunny. They can tolerate both full sun and little shade. Even aeoniums that have grown accustomed to full sun might occasionally get burnt. Sun-damaged leaves will appear dried out, burnt, and brown.
The amount of sun exposure and its intensity will determine how much sun damage or sunburn there is. Sunburn might affect just a few leaves or the whole rosette or plant. Sunburned patches on the leaves are irreversible and persistent.
The sun-damaged leaves can be removed if you so choose, or you can wait until they ultimately fall off. There isn’t much you can do to fix a burnt plant or rosette if it already has that condition. Simply wait until the plant produces new growth and expels the burnt areas.
You can relocate your plant to a more shady area if you see that it is getting burnt. Sunburned spots on aeoniums are harmless and will eventually fall off, while not being particularly attractive.
Aeoniums are MonocrapicThey Die After Flowering
The majority of aeonium plants are monocarpic and perish after flowering. The middle of the rosettes on aeoniums releases white or yellow flowers. The plant expires when the flowers have finished flowering. The mother plant often generates a large number of offspring before it flowers. Aeoniums typically take a number of years to flower and then pass away. If the mother plant flowers and dies, there would still be plenty of offspring for the plants to survive on. As long as the surrounding rosettes and ramifications do not blossom, they will keep expanding.
What Could be Eating my Aeoniums?
Even though aeoniums are among the hardiest succulents I am aware of, pests and bugs still affect succulent plants. Your suspicion may be correct if you suspect that insects are an issue when it comes to devouring your aeoniums. In reality, last year’s garden bugs really hurt my aeoniums.
Take a closer look if you start to notice active ants surrounding your aeoniums. Ants may appear innocent, but if you notice a lot of them on your plant, it’s usually a sign that something is wrong and that you are dealing with an infestation of other pests. These pests are incredibly easy to overlook since they are so little.
If you notice ants around your aeoniums, there are probably other insect infestations nearby as well. Because they introduce these pests to your plants and guard them like livestock, ants are to blame. I experienced that with my aeoniums. The good news is that despite everything they’ve been through, they appear to be flourishing well and have shown that they are tough, durable plants.