Re: Interested in cacti?/Aeonium sources

David,

Thanks for the website for succulents in Denmark!

And Nan's article was great. I'm teaching a unit on succulents right now
and found both to be of great help.

david feix wrote:

> I wish I could get a definite i.d. on the one most
> common hybrid that I have, or learn more about the
> history behind it.  This one gets to be huge in my
> garden, forming heads about 18 inches across, and
> becoming a branched shrub up to 2 1/2' tall before
> blooming.  It is most often distributed by gifts of
> divisions across the garden fence,

I think I have your Aeonium as well.  In my recently bought reference
book, "Succulents, The Illustrated Dictionary" by Maurizio Sajeva and
Mariangela Costanzo. there is a good picture of it (the one I have at
any rate). They identify it as A. subplanum, and call it similar to A.
canariense, but with flatter rosettes and green spatulate leaves.

My Aeonium also gets to 18" across, but only where it gets some
afternoon shade. The rosettes which I've removed and stuck here and
there, never get as large when subject to more full on sun. They stay
tight and off-set more freely.

> and is one of the
> most commented on plants in my front garden, where I
> have it planted in mass, and increase the size of each
> plant by culling the offshoots.  Thankfully the cold
> wave we are having did not fall below 36F here a half
> mile from the bay, and I did not get any frost damage.
>  I took a chance and didn't cover anything, as the
> temps at 2 a.m. didn't seem anymore severe than they
> had the preceding few days, although the cold winds
> during the day did seem arctic, not getting above 48F.
>  Nothing like the 90F weather I remember experiencing
> in Januarys of the past when going to college in San
> Luis Obispo back in the mid 1970's.
>
> This Aeonium hybrid is immediately damaged at 32F, and
> I almost lost it entirely in the 1990 freeze.  It has
> affinities with what was once called A. urbicum and A.
> pseudotabuliforme, and the size, but not undulated
> leaf characteristics of A. undulatum.  I find that A.
> decorum, A. arborescens, A. haworthii and A. simsii,(a
> very nice low growing groundcover type with showy
> lemon yellow spring bloom), are all more cold tolerant
> around here, and I really like the brightly colored
> foliage of A. 'Sunburst', A. 'Kiwi' and A.
> 'Schwartzkop', which brighten up a winter's day.  All
> prime plants for the milder coastal gardens in
> California, or as window/conservatory plants
> elsewhere.

In my zone 19 garden, it can get cold at night, but no freezing yet. So
far this wonderful plant has shown no sign of damage, and like in your
garden, its size does set people back on their heels. I understand
Aeonium tabulaeforme can get to the same size. Why it's called A.
"pseudo-tabulaeforme" in Sunset Garden Book, and all other references
call it "tabulaeforme" I wish someone would say! There must be some tiny
difference! At any rate, it is one perfect large dinner platter of a
plant, and I'm looking forward to finding one.
I also grow A. arborescens 'Schwartzkop', A. decorum, 'Kiwi', and
'Sunburst'. Mine is an inland valley garden, just by Rancho Santa Ana
Botanic Garden, and all these aeoniums grow well in sun or light shade -
looking more lush in light shade.
Guess I've been bitten by the "bug"!         Jan
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jan Smithen,
Upland, California

jansmithen@earthlink.net
Sunset zone : 19
USDA zone   : 10

http://home.earthlink.net/~jansmithen/

Visit the Los Angeles County Arboretum
Victorian Rose Garden website at:
http://victorian-rose.org/
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