Aeonium PSEUDOURBICUM

Aeonium PSEUDOURBICUM - Tenerife saucer plant, Aeonium pseudourbicum.

Aeonium is a large genus of succulents developing as compact shrubs or herbaceous plants. The genus includes about 40 perennial, highly ornamental house plants from the Stonecrop family (Crassulaceae). These are true long-lived plants that can be brought into room interiors for decades. As with all succulents, aeonium is characterized by fleshy, water-storing leaves and shoots. The stems are robust, straight, branching or growing singly, gradually becoming woody and displaying marks from fallen old leaves resembling scars. In some aeonium species, 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, across different species, the stems can be either pronounced, resembling woody plants, or almost completely hidden under low-growing rosettes of leaves.

The fleshy leaves are always sessile, narrowing toward the base, resembling petals or rhombuses in shape. Sparse pubescence or an entirely glossy surface combines with margins decorated with thin white cilia or fine teeth. The leaves gather into very dense, flower-like rosettes, arranged imbricately in an ornate pattern. The rosettes range in diameter from a few centimeters to almost 1 m (3.3 ft), but are always located at the ends of the stems. The leaf color varies from typical light green to various reddish, brownish, and purple shades, most often unevenly distributed across the leaf blade. Under indoor conditions, aeonium blooms very rarely. Pyramidal racemes of bright yellow inflorescences are very showy and last a long time. But the lack of flowering also has its advantage. Species that form a single leaf rosette most often die after flowering.

Aeonium pseudourbicum is native to the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands off the western coast of Africa belonging to Spain.

By seeds year-round in a sandy substrate. Seeds are sown on the surface, moistened from a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in light at a temperature of 20-25 °C (68-77 °F). Seedlings need ventilation. It is necessary to avoid waterlogging and drying out of the sowings.

Special notes: Seeds are small!

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In winter, cool conditions are desirable. At low air humidity, the plant can withstand quite a significant drop in temperature. At other times, ordinary room temperature is required. The plants require a sunny location all year round, needing shade only from the most intense direct sunlight. In winter, they should be kept in a very brightly lit spot, which helps maintain leaf coloration.

During active growth, water as the soil dries out. During winter dormancy, watering intensity is reduced. Stagnant water, which should be avoided even in summer, is even more dangerous during the cold season; it can cause rot and lead to plant death. In spring and autumn, feed once every 2 weeks with cactus fertilizer. Repotting is carried out in spring or autumn once every 2 years. Use soil consisting of 1/3 peat, 1/3 fertile soil, and 1/3 sand, with a pH of about 6.5. It is necessary to remove damaged parts and faded inflorescences.