A few weeks ago I kinda inherited a quite big Aeonium.
It looks quite messy and I am not sure what it has been through. I removed all the old, dry leaves.
It is getting cooler here in Zurich at night, so I reckon I should move the plant inside, since it is lower than 10 degree celcius.
Now I am not sure what to do with it. Maybe cut off all the smaller stems and replant them in their own pots?
What would you do? (And when is the best time for it?)
Your plant is suffering from too little light. As they can take temperatures very close to freezing, I would give it a little more outside time in bright light (not full sun as that will burn it)
You can prune but that will force it to grow even more offsets. It is doing what it is supposed to do. These plants can get 1 m tall and wide. If you want it to be more compact, pruning is your only option but I would wait until it was actively growing next spring.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1058#b
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1463960/looking-for-opinions-on-pruning-aeonium-arboreum
The second article was written by Tapla who is still a member of this forum and can probably answer any questions you have.
Daisy
You have a few choices, but the etiolation (stretched out parts due to insufficient light) is permanent and cannot be undone. I would cut the terminal rosettes from as many stems as you want and start new plants from them. The key to remember is that shorter stems root and start growing faster than longer stems. Maybe 1-2cm of naked stem below the rosette is good. Pot up the cuttings in regular potting soil with good drainage (or add perlite/pumice to make it drain well), and water regularly through the winter.
You really need to give as much light as possible if the plant is going to be indoors. Hours of sun, through a south facing window, would be ideal. Water maybe once a week in a bright location (not too big a pot to start out with, about 15cm maybe) and you should see new growth in 3-4 weeks.
One thing that's important to remember when growing Aeoniums is that (for the most part) they have an annual cycle. Aeoniums are most active in fall through spring, slowing down or going dormant in the summer depending on conditions. They will be easiest to start from cuttings in the fall and winter, and will look noticeably worse in the summer, especially when it's hot (and that's not a good time to overwater them). The time when strong light is most important is during their growth phase, especially during the winter, which makes them somewhat marginal as house plants where light is often limiting during this period.
Hi Daisy,
thank you for your quick reply!
I thought the big stems are just too heavy and that's why it is bending downwards. So a lack of sun over a long period of time made it look so sad...
Thanks as well for the links!
Hi Baja_Costero,
thank you for the very detailed info! I will follow your advice and get a bunch of new cuttings from it.
Got to get some proper soil first.
Sun/exposure to light is no problem here. I have a very good window and balcony for that I think.... :)
This message was edited Sep 12, 2015 1:40 AM
