Woody Eonium , or Aeonium arboreum, is a fast-growing succulent with a tree-like habit and a woody stem. It is decorated with sumptuous rosettes of fleshy and shiny leaves that develop on the tops of the shoots.Woody eonium is easy to grow , therefore it is recommended for beginner lovers of potted plants. See whatcare for tree eoniumgrown at home looks like and learn simple ways toreproduce eoniumfrom stem and leaf cuttings.
Eonium arboreum 'Schwarzkopf'
Fig. © Agnieszka Lach
Tree Eonium - description and interesting varieties
The tree-like Eonium (Aeonium arboreum) comes from the Canary Islands, where it grows on the sunny and rocky slopes of the mountains. Plants live for many years and with age take the form of a poorly branched tree, reaching about 50 cm in height. On the tops of the shoots, they form decorative rosettes made of long, spatulate leaves, which, depending on the variety of the eonium, may have a different color.
One of the most popular varieties of eonium is 'Schwarzkopf' , the leaves of which turn almost black in a sunny place. Another interesting variety is aeonium 'Atropurpureum' with green leaves that turn purple in full sun.An exceptionally decorative variety of the tree eonium is 'Albovariegatum'with variegated leaves with slightly pink tips.
Good to know!In house cultivation, apart from Aeonium arboreum, there are also other species of eonium, such as Aeonium decorum and Aeonium haworthii, which take the form of low shrubs , as well as Aeonium tabuliforme, forming single, flat disc-shaped rosettes growing close to the ground, and Aeonium sedifolium - with small, round leaves.
Eonium care in pot growing
The south window sillis the best for the cultivation of the eonium, but the plants feel equally well grown in a place with a western display. Too little sunlight causes the shoots to stretch, so the plant loses its nice, compact habit, and the leaves of the colorful varieties lose their characteristic color.Eonium sheds its leaves in a place with extremely poor sunlightEonium can be grown on the balcony in summer, but it must be sheltered from rain and sun during the hottest part of the day. In autumn, before the onset of the first frosts, it must be brought into the room.
Eonium arboreum, Aeonium arboreum
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Eonium care requires a fairly high temperature.Recommended growing temperature is around 20 ° C in summer and 8-12 ° C in winter.Lower temperatures cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall and contribute to plant rot. Eonium tolerates temperature drops of up to a maximum of 5 ° C, but only when the substrate in the pot is dry. Temperatures below 4 ° C are dangerous for the plant and can cause serious damage.
Eonium can be grown in universal flower soil mixed with coarse gravel (2: 1)Perfect for soil also goes to cacti and succulents. Due to the poorly developed root system,the best for growing eonium are small and shallow potsDrainage is necessary at the bottom of the pot, so pour expanded clay or small pebbles. Eonium is replanted as soon as the roots have completely filled the pot. A clear signal informing about the need to replace the pot with a larger one are the few and small increments in the rosettes. Plants are best transplanted in spring and summer.
Eonium tree 'Schwarzkopf'
Fig. © Agnieszka Lach
Eonium is watered rarely but abundantlyWatering the eonium every 2 weeks in spring and weekly in summer, allowing the soil in the pot to dry well between waterings. Too frequent irrigation leads to rotting of the roots. Excess water causes the so-called a soft stump - unfortunately, then the plant cannot be saved. However, too much drying of plants should not be allowed.Dry eonium begins to shed leavesIn autumn, the intervals between watering are gradually extended and the doses of water are reduced.Water the eonium sporadically in winter , once a month when the leaves start to wrinkle.Eonium is very resistant to dry air and does not require sprinkling. Sprinkling is even harmful for this plant!
Note!When watering the eonium, do not wet the leaf rosettes, because then they rot from the inside.
Special cactus fertilizercan be used to fertilize the eonium. Eonium is fertilized once a month and only during the summer. Over-fertilization leads to root burns and leaf greening in colored varieties.
Woody Eonium - reproduction
The woody eonium is propagated by shoot cuttings . The cuttings are leaf rosettes with a piece of woody stem taken from the side branches.
To prepare eonium cuttings for propagationin spring or early summer, adult plants are cut off with a sharp tool 5-8 cm side shoots with nicely shaped leaf rosettes. The cuttings are placed in a shaded, dry and ventilated place for 24 hours to allow the cutting wounds to dry. In the meantime, a flat pot or box is prepared, half-filled with moist peat, on which a layer of sterile sand is poured.
Then the tips of the cuttings are dipped in the rooting agent and placed in a layer of sand. Cuttings are not watered until the roots appear. Once the cuttings have taken root, 2-3 pieces are transplanted into pots with fertile soil.
Anotherway to reproduce the tree eonium is to rooting leaf cuttings The oldest leaves growing at the bottom of the rosette take root most easily. The leaves are gently detached from the shoot and, as in the case of shoot cuttings, set aside to dry. They are then placed in a flat litter box filled with sterile sand, half submerged. When miniature rosettes appear at the bottom of the seedlings, the plants are transplanted into separate small pots and cared for according to the previously described recommendations.
MSc Eng. Agnieszka Lach
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