Norma,

Yes, yes and you can. If a plant's in active growth I'd fertilize it - no other time.

I root the new ones like I would any succulent cutting - probably the same as you do already.

And no, you can't stop it - that head's going to flower, but unless it's a fairly rare one, like Aeonium smithii, it's no great loss, right?

{{gwi:467307}}

{{gwi:584510}}

If you like the pot the Aeonium is in, depot, repot with fresh soil, and ta-da, it's better than it ever was. But you probably already did that, too. For the beginners, it's not always necessary to move up in pot size, but for the health of the plant it is beneficial to change soil.

Thanks for the tips, cactusmcharris. I'm new and learning and appreciate the shared knowledge immensely.

Rachel,

It's one of my favourite genera to gush about, so the pleasure's mine.

Some more fun facts:

1) It's the only genus I know of with all seven vowels in its name; it's also a 7-letter word (using all seven tiles in Scrabble at one turn gets you 50 extra points, but I don't know if 'aeonium' is in the Scrabble Dictionary, so I'd check first before using and getting burned).

2) Speaking of burned, this is the important point - the juices from the leaves of Aeonium lindleyii are a palliative to the burns of Euphorbia sap. I know this from a trusted friend who got burned with E. abdelkuri sap (one of the worst). He swears the juice eased the pain (and the leaves were from a plant I had given him).

Aside from that, they're a relatively easy plant to grow, most of them tolerant of summer watering (although most of the species come from the Canary Islands, where there are no summer rains, only winter ones). Perhaps that's why they grow ever so well in Southern California, where the rains there also come primarily in the winter. But I see you're from Z9 and may know this already.

Jeff I thank you for the input, I am so glad that you joined in. I do grow that rare plant, and a few more from the Huntington Gardens, have been growing them for years from leaves. I start them from leaves in January if it is cold enough, then we set the flat of one hundred leaves in the shade wait a week and start to water, then the roots start to show, I taka a pencil make a hole and set the roots in. Its a fun project form me. Aeonium tabulaeforme is one of my favorites which I start from a leaf. I only wish I could get some to you, if you go to the convention stop by and I will give you some starts of my rare ones. I will not be going to the convention this coming year. Norma

I have found that many times the flowers on the aeonium form small plants. I have taken a whole cluster of these little plants and planted them. They grow and look like a totally different plant. Will try to take some pictures and post later.

Norma,

A. tabuliforme (sp?) is one that I was never, ever able to grow well - gosh knows I tried several times, but I didn't take the time to find out what I was doing wrong.

I may be going to the convention, but I sure am not going to spend five days inside the lecture halls - there are too many gardens to visit!

Larryteresa,

I've not seen that phenomena in Aeonium, but I have seen it in Crassula, Gasteria and a few Aloes. Let's see some pics!

This one is from a friend's garden - it's variegated and crested, although in this picture it's just variegated (I received some cuttings that are slowly growing). I can't remember if it's Aeonium 'Sunburst' or 'Kiwi'.

You asked for it... here are some Aeonium species... I left out the hybrids as that would just make this too huge a thread... maybe I will add those in another thread.

Aeonium arboreum

Aeonium arboreum var atropurpureum crest

Aeonium balsamiferum

Aeonium canariense

Aeonium castello-paive

Aeonium cuneatum

Aeonium davidbramwellii

AEonium decorum

Aeonium haworthii

Aeonium lanzerottense

Aeonium leucoblepharum

Aeonium lindleyi

Aeonium nobile

Aeonium percarneum

Aeonium pseudotabulaeforme (not sure if this is a real species or not...)

Aeonium sedifolium

another shot of this miniature species

aeonium simsii

Aeonium smithii

Aeonium tabulaeforme (I can't keep these alive, either)

aeonium undulatum

Aeonium urbicum

Aeonium viscatum

this is by no means all the species there are... but it's a start.

Lzddr,

Another awesome compendium - thank you for posting all of those. Every time I see A. smithii I start to drool.

WOW...Not a whole lot more to say except, thanks for posting those beautiful pictures...absolutely AMAZING!

Awesome photos Lzddr, thank you! That A. smithii is most desirable.

I did not know they grew from leaves. I am going to try that--no shortage of them.

I did not realize that the thready roots that come out when the plant gets really big and starts leaning over will become substantial enough to support the leaning-over plant. I thought that was pretty cool.

ÃÂ
One of the little thready roots went into a hole in the pot I used to prop the aeonium up and has filled the hole. I either have to cut the root or cut the pot. They are a fun plant and grow so well here.

FABULOUS pix as examples of SO many species, Geoff! Thanks for sharing them! Great to see!

Interesting to see the Aeonium castello-paivae, as they look so similar to A. haworthii, I don't think I'd be able to tell the difference (other than wiry stems)! I have only seen the variegated Suncups of this species.

Jeff, your plant is A.'Sunburst' (the one you got from Patrick?). A. 'Kiwi' is much smaller.

i just purchased an aeonium tabulaeforme, about 8" in diameter, whats the best way to care?
thanks
chuy

Chuy,

You might wish to post a new, separate thread w/ your question. Might get faster response than an older thread like this.

That said, wow what a picture show, somehow I missed this earlier. Thanks so much Lzrddr for posting such beauties!

My variegated Aeonium just flowered with a huge flower, the bees love it. Jeff I have that Smithii that you mentiioned just waiting for you. You are ivited to visit again. Norma

I can't figure out how to propagate aeonium kiwi. I thought you could grow them from leaves after I read the old posts, but mine just dried up. I got desperate and chopped the head off of one and stuck it in sand. It has started to root. I did not throw the old plant away, and after a while, at the very tip, a new plant has started! There must be an easier way to do this, or at least a way that gets more plantlets at once! Oh, love the photos. Really helped a beginner like me.