Aeonium decorum

Aeonium decorum is a succulent plant species that belongs to the family of the crassulaceae and is located on the Canary Islands. The genus Aeonium comprises 36 species that are characterized by their rosette formation and succulent properties and mostly occur in the Canary Islands and in North Africa. Aeonium decorum is an endemic type of islands of La Gomera and La Palma, where it thrives in rocky, dry-warm habitats and adapted to the demanding conditions of these locations.

Morphology and growth form

The plant grows in the form of compact rosettes with fleshy leaves that arrange around the short stem like a rosette. These rosettes are usually 5 to 10 cm in diameter and consist of spatula -shaped, pointed leaves, which can take a greenish to reddish color in the sun. The edges of the leaves are often slightly toothed and take on a reddish to brownish color in intensive sunlight or cooler temperatures, which serves as a protective mechanism before evaporation.

In contrast to some other types of the genus Aeonium, Aeonium decorum is a relatively small representative with a compact growth shape. The plant reaches a height of up to 30 cm and occasionally forms small, woody side strains, which makes it bushy. This structure is an adaptation to the desert -like environment of your home and protects you from water loss in hot, dry periods.

Flower and flowering period

Aeonium decorum usually develops a flower growing from the middle of the rosette in spring, which is arranged in the form of a panicle and has a variety of small, star -shaped flowers. The flowers are white or soft pink and attract insects pollinating due to their light color. Since the plant is a monocarpic species, the rosette dies after flowering. However, side rosettes can form new shoots and thus continue the growth of the plant.

Ecology and habitat

This species is spread in the Canary Islands in semi -desert areas and rocky slopes, where they thrive in dry, sunny layers and nutrient -poor soils. The thick, water -containing leaves are an important adaptation to the drought conditions prevailing there, since they give the plant the ability to save water efficiently and thus survive dry periods. Aeonium species are also CAM plants that minimize water loss by special mechanisms by only opening their fold openings at night and absorbing CO₂ to operate photosynthesis during the day.

Cultivation and care

Aeonium decorum is a popular ornamental plant and is often cultivated due to its adaptability and easy -care properties. It prefers a sunny location and well -permeable soil that avoids waterlogging because the succulent roots are susceptible to putrefaction. A water -saving irrigation, about once every two weeks in summer and less in winter, is ideal. The plant is relatively hardy, but requires protection at temperatures below 5 ° C.

Use and meaning

Due to its attractive rosettes and low growth height, Aeonium decorum is a popular plant for stone gardens, succulent collections and terraces. Your resistance and the ability to multiply vegetatively also make you a stable and long -lasting choice for decorative plantings.