Interesting comparison of Aeoniums in grit vs. wet soil
Just thought I'd share this because it's not what one would expect.
I had a number of Aeonium arbroeum atropupureum or zwartkopf cuttings (don't know which it is) last fall/late summer. I'd never rooted any before, so I stuck them in various pots and substrates to see what happened.
One of those pots was a little grower's pot with used soil from some vegetables. I'd stuck a little wild Western Sword Fern and some moss in it. It stayed wet all winter, and outside except when it froze. I was pretty sure the Aeonium cutting would rot.
Another pot was 1 part Oil Dry (diatamacous earth substitute for Turface), and 1 to 2 parts granite (Gran-I-Grit brand chicken scratch).
All the plants rooted. None rotted. But guess which plant has clearly grown the best. The one with the fern. Yeah, go figure. Makes me question everything I've read about Aeoniums. I shouldn't be surprised though. I bought the parent plant from a nursery where it was kept in downright soggy soil. All their Aeomiums had fallen over and been stood back up so many times that they were growing all twisted like Dr. Seuss trees, but they WERE all growing (not dying). So maybe Aeoniums (or at least A. arboreum) aren't as sensitive to wet soil or cold as the literature would suggest.
Here are some pics so you can see for yourself. Cuttings were different sizes, but all had about the same amount of stem covered in leaves. They all had just a tuft of leaves forming the rosettes. As you can see, the one in with the fern has grown so much that almost the full stem is covered in leaves. I will include one showing the dark soil it's planted in.
sorry it's upside-down. Hopefully others will post correctly.
Comments (7)
Nil13 usda:10a sunset:21 LA,CA (Mount Wash.)
9 years ago
palmbob
9 years agoNot sure what sources you have been reading, but here in So Cal these plants LOVE our winters because they are cool and rainy (or at least they used to be). Aeoniums are very thirsty plants and it is nearly impossible to overwater them in winters… however, if hot, that is NOT when you want to water them liberally unless you have them in a relatively shady location and water them carefully… these plants do not like broiling summer sun and high heat and low humidity makes their roots shrink up… water them heavily then, and you could easily rot your plant.
In your zone 9a, some can be marginal (the variety you have can do well some winters, and have trouble other winters)… some seem very well adapted to this climate (I live in 9a, too, bordering on 8b) and about half the cultivars like the winters, and the other half croak in the cold. But all hate the summers.
By the way, your plant in the dark green pot seems a bit etiolated (suffering from lack of light)… may grow faster and taller, but that certainly does not translate necessarily into 'better'. In fact, usually etiolated plants end up being weaker. You always want your Aeoniums to be compact… leaves spread out along the stem like that is not a sign of health. Try to keep your plants it brighter light in winters (summers are a different matter, but full shade is still not ideal… protection from afternoon sun, is, though.
plants in February growing in soggy clay, Tarzana, California
plants in summer (August) very unhappy… this is NOT a time to water these plants heavily, though
plants grown in nearly full shade… colors nearly completely green, though still not too etiolated
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9 years agoPS. those photos were when I lived in a nice zone 9b… not so lucky now. Sigh.
some purplish cultivar in February
others after freezing the month before (got down to 18F briefly… both plants were 'melted' though I did not think to get a photo then. Here a month later, doing OK)
same exact plants in August… surviving and actually not looking too horrible since I water that tree right next to them…. but prone to rot if I over water. These are plants in zone 8b/9a
kwie2011
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agokwie2011
9 years ago
palmbob