Aeonium Mountain Rose

Oh my goodness what a little delight. The soft green leaves have a hint of blue and grow to form gorgeous, little rose shaped plants.

As they establish, new ‘baby roses’ will form around the edges and they will gradually grow to fill the pot. As the weather cools, the tight buds unfurl and open. Each ‘rose’ can stretch up to 25cm across in winter, during its growing season.

The tight ‘bud’ form of the plant is spring/summer when it is ‘dormant’ and was developed by the plant to protect it from sunburn and water loss.

This Aeonium hails from the Canary Islands where they grow in rock crevices. They regularly produce offsets. They are monocarpic, so once they mature (a few years) the individual plant will flowers and die, you can prune the stems as they form, or enjoy the long lasting, bright yellow show and allow the offsets to form the next generation.

SIZE (HxW): 5-10cm x 5-25cm

I SEE THE LIGHT: Bright, indirect light is ideal.

I NEED A DRINK: When watering it is always better to err on the side of caution – too little is better than too much. Water well, then allow the soil to dry out before watering again. The leaves will shrivel if they are left too dry and may fall off – a great way to get some attention from you! They do most of their growing in winter so this is the time they will need the most moisture.

I WILL SURVIVE: If you are growing in yours in a pot, ideally use a well drained potting mix specially formulated for succulents and cactus. Choose a brightly lit position out of the hot afternoon sun (which may burn the leaves). They aren’t huge fans of humidity, so it is best to ensure they have good air flow. Repot in autumn as required, or to inspire more growth.

You don’t need to fertilise them very often or much, a diluted liquid feed in autumn is all they need and they will of course forgive if you forget.