Aeoniums are generally carefree succulents. Problems arise in hot, dry weather, and then when it gets cold. Watering errors are, as is often the case with succulents, the main cause of premature dieback.
Should Aeoniums be watered in summer?
The usual seasonal care advice for aeoniums is not to water during their resting period. The problem is that the resting period is not the same if you live in a hot, arid zone in summer or a cold, wet zone in winter. It’s rarely both. So you won’t grow aeonium in the same way around the Mediterranean as you would in Bretagne, west part of France.
In Bretagne and generally north of the Loire and in the mountains, aeonium is grown in pots and stored indoors in winter. If you have a veranda or room in the living room, aeonium can thrive indoors in winter.
We take it out in summer, and that’s when the problem arises of positioning (shade or sun?) and watering.
The Aeonium genus is native to the Canary Islands in northwest Africa, where the climate is fairly stable. Temperatures are mild all year round, with many sunny days. Rainfall is minimal, from December to February.
Why store aeoniums in winter?
If Aeoniums are left in soaking wet soil, the stems and roots will rot, especially if the plants are dormant, i.e. in winter north of the Loire and in summer south of it.
In the south, plant in draining soil so that the plant can thrive in winter.
Related content: How to store succulents and succulents in winter?
What kills aeoniums?
It seems that the only thing that kills these super-easy succulents naturally is flowering. Once the individual rosettes have elongated into flowers, they will die.
Not all the rosettes in a colony flower at the same time, and it takes years for most aeonium rosettes to bloom. Enjoy the show, then cut the stems where they join the trunk.
North of the Loire, for pot-grown aeoniums, it’s difficult to have warm periods long enough for flowers to appear. Aeoniums are therefore best kept as perennials.
Admittedly, aeoniums that don’t get any water in summer seem to be on the verge of death in September. But you have to be patient and give them a chance until the next rains or a little watering.
In winter indoors, the main problem I encounter, is the arrival of aphids at the end of winter. I have to treat with black soap, but the plant doesn’t like that at all. Aphids can kill the plant.
The conclusion I’ve come to, is that you can choose whether or not to water your aeoniums in summer when they’re thirsty. I don’t water those that have gone dormant, so in winter for Brittany (Bretagne), but perhaps in summer for you if your garden is very arid.
A final cause of death for aeoniums is of course frost. But they are more sensitive to frost when their soil is damp. So if it’s mild enough at home to keep them outside in winter, they’ll need to be sheltered from the rain, or in draining soil for southern gardens.
But how do you know if an aeonium is dormant?
To determine whether an aeonium has gone dormant because you’re afraid to overwater it, you need to observe the plant’s growth. Growth slows down after the spring flush. When it’s not growing, watering can be slowed down or even eliminated altogether.
They start to lose their luster in July in arid zones, and in autumn for potted plants north of the Loire. If you bring them into the living room, don’t water them again until late winter.
In the southern garden, normally by the end of August, the leaves have shriveled up and the rosettes have closed in on themselves. This clever, water-saving tactic reveals bare stems, giving the plant a sad look. But it’ll be back on its feet with the first rains.
After all, aeoniums are the ideal plants to take on vacation or to respect watering bans.
Do aeoniums grow in sun or shade?
Good question! If they don’t get enough sun, they get cold and don’t grow, and if they get too much, they dry out and even if they don’t die, they look ugly.
I think they like part shade. So test out several garden locations for potted plants, and choose part-shade right away for warm southern gardens.
Indoors in winter, I place mine (when I have room) directly behind a southwest-facing window. They seem to like it.
To learn more about these beautiful plants and discover the different varieties of Aeonium, here is the page in Wikipedia.
