AEONIUM

These dramatic and often statuesque succulents are finally having their moment in the sun - which is just where they like it

-  NICK BAILEY

What A genus of around 40 species in the Crassulaceae family. Aeoniums are rosette-forming, sometimes branched succulents with starry flowers held on often large dramatic inflorescences.

Origins These are naturally distributed in Atlantic islands including Madeira, Gran Canaria and Tenerife, and the arid environs of Morocco, Yemen and eastern Africa.

Season Winter-growing, summer-dormant plants that usually flower in spring, but inflorescences can appear at virtually any time depending on condition or indoor/ outdoor cultivation.

Size Depending on the species, height varies from as little as 1cm up to more than 1m, while the width of both rosettes and overall form varies significantly depending on environment.

Conditions Full sun for the majority of plants (but some will take shade) with a gritty-free-draining substrate. Best grown in containers, as plants appreciate deep waterings, followed by a period of drying out. They require frost-free protection but bright light over the winter months, followed by plenty of water in late winter and early spring.

Hardiness Aeoniums cannot survive temperatures below 0°C so in the UK they will require the protection of a frost-free greenhouse over winter, or an indoor windowsill. Most have an RHS hardiness rating of H1C and are suitable for gardens in USDA zones 9b to 11.

*Holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. +Hardiness ratings given where available.

Aeonium arboreum Commonly know as the tree aeonium, this stately plant is among the largest in the genus. It can be found growing wild across five of the Canary Islands, where it develops a stocky, domed, shrubby form. Height: 2m. RHS HIC, USDA 9b-11t.