Aeonium cuneatum, a flowering fat plant

Aeonium cuneatum

Aeonium cuneatum flowersCredit: Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY

Aeonium cuneatum leavesCredit: Diego Alex

Aeonium cuneatum fruitCredit: adrien royer

Aeonium cuneatum in flowerCredit: Sylvain Piry

Aeonium cuneatumCredit: anna_485

Exposures: Sun, Half-shade
Hardiness (USDA): 10a (-1.1°C ≤ T° < 1.7°C)
Lifecycle: Perennial
Foliage: Evergreen

Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Aeonium
Species: Aeonium cuneatum

Other name:Sempervivum cuneatum

Aeonium cuneatum grows on the edge of the Tenerife archipelago. A member of the Crassulaceae family, it is distinguished by the color of its leaves and its giant flowers.

How to recognize Aeonium cuneatum?

Aeonium cuneatum is an upright succulent. Larger than aeonium haworthii, it can reach a meter in height and 50 centimeters in diameter.

The short stem disappears beneath a rosette of upright leaves.

The thick, fleshy, spatulate leaves are between five and ten centimetres long. Dark green, they take on a bluish hue when grown in optimal conditions. Their color is enhanced by the silvery bloom that covers them.

The flowers appear on a forty-centimeter flowering spike. The pale yellow flowers are grouped in a conical spike.

Like many succulents, Aeonium cuneatum is non-toxic. It presents no danger to humans or domestic animals in the event of contact or ingestion.

Our care tips

If you live in a frost-free region, you can plant your Aeonium cuneatum in the ground, provided the soil remains dry.

Elsewhere, it's best to opt for a pot culture and bring your Aeonium cuneatum into your conservatory or living room when temperatures drop. The good news is that it's in winter, when the plant is growing, that it reveals all its beauty!

Watering

When it's very hot, your plant needs to be watered accordingly, as it goes into vegetative mode to protect itself.

Check that the substrate is dry to the depth of five centimeters before watering. If your plant is thirsty, water with cold or lukewarm water. It's best to use rainwater to provide nutrients. If you don't have any, use mains water.

Empty any stagnant water from the dish to prevent root rot.

Do not water during this period.

Misting

Your Aeonium cuneatum hates wet foliage. Don't mist the plant.

Repotting

Re-pot your Aeonium cuneatum in a pierced pot. Line the bottom with pebbles or clay balls to improve drainage.

Aeonium cuneatum appreciate well-drained soil. You can use a substrate for cacti and succulents, or mix garden soil with river sand.

Pour a little potting soil into the pot and plant your specimen. Don't hesitate to push in the stem a third of the way up. This way, the plant will be more stable and produce more roots. Fill with potting soil and press down to remove air bubbles.

Prune

To encourage the growth of your Aeonium cuneatum, prune regularly.

Remove dried leaves.

Cut back flower stems when flowers have wilted. If you use a tool, make sure it's clean and sharp.

Planting

Your Aeonium cuneatum loves light and hates humidity. Plant it in the sun and in a place where water won't stagnate after a shower, such as an embankment or the top of a slope.

Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball. Place pebbles or clay balls at the bottom to improve drainage. Plant your Aeonium cuneatum and fill in with garden soil. You can add sand to lighten the soil. Press down to remove air bubbles.

Taking cuttings

Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.

The mother plant produces shoots. Separate them with a clean knife. Leave to dry for 24 to 48 hours in the open air, until a wedge forms at the base.

Prepare a perforated pot. Place clay balls or pebbles in the bottom for drainage. Then fill with a light substrate, such as potting soil for cacti and succulents. Use a pencil or pick to make a hole.

Plant your Aeonium cuneatum. Bury the stem about a third of the way up. This way, your plant will form more roots and be more stable. But don't bury the leaves! Place your cutting in a bright room with a temperature of between 15 and 18°.

Wait a few weeks before watering, to allow the roots to form.