Aeonium CALDERENSE

Aeonium CALDERENSE - Caldera aeonium, Aeonium calderense.

Aeonium is a large genus of succulents developing as compact shrubs or herbaceous crops. About 40 perennial, highly ornamental indoor plants from the family Crassulaceae belong to the genus. These are true long-lived plants brought into room interiors for decades. As with all succulents, aeonium is characterized by fleshy, water-storing leaves and shoots. The stems are sturdy, straight, branching or growing singly, gradually lignifying and displaying marks from fallen old leaves resembling scars. In some species of aeonium, spectacular aerial roots form. The height of these plants ranges from a modest 10-15 cm (4-6 in) to almost 1 m (3.3 ft). At the same time, in different species the stems can either be pronounced, resembling woody plants, or be almost entirely hidden beneath squat rosettes of leaves.

The fleshy leaves are always sessile, tapering toward the base, resembling petals or rhombs in shape. Sparse pubescence or an entirely glossy surface combines with margins adorned with fine white cilia or tiny denticles. The leaves gather into very dense, flower-like rosettes, arranged imbricately and pattern-like. Rosettes range in diameter from a few centimeters to almost 1 m (3.3 ft), but are always located at the ends of stems. Leaf coloration varies from ordinary light green to various reddish, brown, and purple hues, most often distributed unevenly across the leaf blade. Under indoor conditions, aeonium blooms very rarely. Pyramidal racemes of bright yellow inflorescences are very striking and last a long time. But the lack of flowering also has its plus side: species that form a single leaf rosette most often die after flowering.

Caldera aeonium has a short squat stem and a dense leaf rosette that appears spread out across the surface of the ground. It is native to the island of La Palma in the Canary archipelago.

By seeds year-round in a sandy substrate. The seeds are sown on the surface, moistened with a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in the light at a temperature of 20-25 °C (68-77 °F). Seedlings need ventilation. Waterlogging and drying out of the sowings must be avoided.

Special notes: The seeds are small!

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In winter, cool maintenance is desirable. With low air humidity, the plant can withstand quite a substantial drop in temperature. At other times, normal room temperature is required. The plants require a sunny location year-round; they only need shading from the most intense sunlight. In winter, they should be kept in a very brightly lit spot, which helps maintain leaf coloration.

During growth, watering is carried out as the soil dries. During the winter dormancy period, watering intensity is reduced. Stagnation of water, which should be avoided even in summer, is even more dangerous during the cold season; it can cause rot and lead to the plant's death. In spring and autumn, every 2 weeks they are fed with fertilizer for cacti. Repotting is done in spring or autumn once every 2 years. Soil consisting of 1/3 peat, 1/3 fertile loam, and 1/3 sand is used, pH around 6.5. Damaged parts and withered inflorescences must be removed.