Aeonium hierrense (El Hierro Giant Houseleek) – Succulent plants

Aeonium hierrense (El Hierro Giant Houseleek) is monocarpic succulent plant with impressive rosettes. Its single rosette has beautiful glaucous, bluish green leaves with some red patterns in full sun and may reach up to 1 m or even more in well-developed specimens with leaves up to 40 cm (10 inches) long. It makes thousands of almost pure white to pale rose flowers.

Scientific Classification:

Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Subtribe: Sedinae
Genus: Aeonium

Scientific Name: Aeonium hierrense (R.P.Murray) Pit. & Proust.
Synonyms: Sempervivum hierrense
Common Names: El Hierro Giant Houseleek

How to grow and maintain Aeonium hierrense (El Hierro Giant Houseleek):

Light:
It thrives best in full sunlight to part sunlight in a sheltered spot, but the bright light enhances the rich hues of the darker Aeoniums.

Soil:
It grows well in humus-rich, moist but well-drained, any good potting mix soil.

Temperature:
It prefers ideal temperatures of 65ºF – 75ºF / 18ºC – 24ºC and no lower than 50ºF / 10ºC.

Water:
Water moderately but consistently during the growing season, Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Allow the top one inch of soil to dry out between waterings. During the winter reduce watering to a minimum.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize your plant once every 2 weeks during the active growth period with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted by half. Do not feed while dormant.

Propagation:
Propagate Aeoniums by stem cuttings, except for unbranched species which die after flowering and are propagated from seed. Sow seed at 19-24ºC in spring. Take cuttings of rosettes in the spring and kept at 18ºC and barely moist until rooted.

Pests and Diseases:
It has no serious pest or disease problems. Slugs can do some damage and the occasional bird may take a bite.